Challenges of Zimbabwe’s Media in the Provision of Environmental Education

Type Journal Article - Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa
Title Challenges of Zimbabwe’s Media in the Provision of Environmental Education
Author(s)
Volume 15
Issue 6
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2013
URL http://www.jsd-africa.com/Jsda/Vol15No6-Fall2013B/PDF/Challenges of Zimbabwes Media.Jemitias​Mapira.pdf
Abstract
Zimbabwe’s media plays a key role in the dissemination of environmental education (EE) information. One of its goals is to inculcate positive values, attitudes, and behavior change of the public towards the biophysical and cultural environments with a view to promoting sustainable development (SD) at local and national levels. Based on secondary and primary data that were collected in January and February, 2013, this paper identifies and discusses the progress and challenges, which the media has experienced recently in the execution of its mandate. Some of the hurdles identified include: the lack of EE centers in the country, remoteness of some areas, which restricts the accessibility of the electronic media (radio, television and the internet), the predominance of English at the expense of indigenous languages, and public resistance to behavior change due to the lack of interest in environmental issues. The paper argues that unless measures are taken to address these challenges, the country’s EE policy is not likely to yield positive results in the future, which undermines the goal of SD at national level.

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