Reps Seek Amendment of NBC Act for Radio/TV Assisted Learning

A bill seeking to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act, to provide for radio and television contents targeted at improved education among Nigerian pupils, on Thursday passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

Tagged “National Broadcasting Commission Amendment Bill, 2018,” the amendment seeks to mandate every private and public radio and television stations in Nigeria to provide dedicated education programmes that will cover all subjects in the school curriculum.

Leading debates on the desirability of the amendment, its sponsors, Segun Odebunmi (APC, Oyo) and James Faleke (APC, Lagos), argued that every radio and television station in Nigeria would provide for such contents to cater for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) syllabuses.

“If amended, all radio and TV stations in Nigeria, including DSTV, Star Times, etc, will be legally compelled to dedicate channels and airtime to teaching students in line with approved school curricula.

“It is expected that qualified instructors will be engaged by the service provider to teach the pupils via online visuals to encourage learning and enhance standard of education in Nigeria,” the sponsors submitted.

Such innovation, the lawmakers further argued, would be more effective than books in teaching and learning.

According to them, the two-legged amendment, which covers Sections 1, 2, 5, 9, 11, 12 13, 14, 19 and 26 of the Third Schedule and Principal Act, also seeks to establish Digital Access Fund (DAF) in line with global best practices.

The overall aim, they noted, is to strengthen the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) as an effective regulator of broadcasting in Nigeria.