An Evaluation of the Communication Strategies Used by Higher Institutions of Learning to Prevent Student Unrest: A Case Study of Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce

Ngazimbi, Pauline (2011) An Evaluation of the Communication Strategies Used by Higher Institutions of Learning to Prevent Student Unrest: A Case Study of Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce. Masters thesis, University of Zambia.

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Abstract

Every country in the world recognises the importance of tertiary education and provides it to its citizens. However, unlike lower level education such as primary that is provided with little difficulty, higher education provision faces a number of challenges. Apart from the economic difficulties among other problems, higher education is faced with the challenge of student unrest. Students in higher institutions of learning have several needs to satisfy. At that level of education, they are impatient to end their dependence and strive for autonomy, to take on responsibility in various sectors of the society (Searle, 1971:161-169). They would like to be recognised as important stakeholders for they believe they are mature enough to not only understand the importance of the education they are pursuing but also to analyse the whole environment surrounding them both at campus and national wide and express their views. Students have several acceptable channels through which they can express their views. Unfortunately, they sometimes resort to demonstrations. Student unrest is quite damaging to institutions. Severe unrest damages institutional property and threatens the lives of the people. In whatever form, the unrest disrupts institutional activities and has contributed to poor educational standards. There is the incessant closure of institutions of learning whenever there is a demonstration, which adversely affects the scope and curriculum of programmes offered (Aluede and Imhanlahimi, 2004:1-2). In addition, student 2 unrest is part of the mechanism through which increases in the flow of resources allocated to human capital by the public sector are prevented from becoming adequate. Communication can be used to prevent conflicts between management and students. A number of scholars have attested to this fact. Appleby (1994:204) argues that communication enables organisations to carry out their operations smoothly. Communication can be used to break through the barriers of resistance and promote mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics. In this study, the researcher tried to find out the kind of communication strategies that Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce (EHCAAC) uses to prevent student unrest. The researcher did not deal with communication in isolation but also sought to discover the problems faced by the students at the College as well as the possible solutions. An insight into the channels used by management and students to communicate with each other was also sought. However, the researcher paid particular attention to the communication strategies used by the college management to promote mutual understanding with the students and in turn prevent student unrest.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Geoffrey Obatsa
Date Deposited: 13 Nov 2017 13:24
Last Modified: 13 Nov 2017 13:24
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/2696

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