Television Reportage of the One Youth, Two Skills (OYTS) Programme and Youths' Enrolment Intentions in Awka, Anambra State

Samenvatting

The Anambra State Government introduced the One Youth, Two Skills (OYTS) programme to enhance youth employability through vocational and entrepreneurial skills acquisition. Despite extensive media publicity, evidence regarding the effectiveness of television reportage in stimulating youths' enrolment remains limited. This study examined the relationship between television reportage of the OYTS programme and enrolment intentions among youths in Awka, Anambra State. The study adopted a quantitative survey design. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, data were collected from 384 youths in Awka through a structured questionnaire comprising Likert-scale items. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that respondents reported high exposure to television reportage of the OYTS programme and demonstrated a good understanding of its objectives, eligibility requirements, and perceived benefits through ABS Television. However, despite this high level of exposure and knowledge, respondents exhibited relatively low intentions to enrol in the programme, suggesting that media exposure alone is insufficient to influence behavioural intentions. The study concludes that although television reportage has been effective in creating awareness and improving knowledge of the OYTS programme, it has had limited influence on youths' enrolment intentions. This indicates the presence of other psychosocial and contextual factors that mediate the transition from awareness to behavioural intention. The study recommends that OYTS communication campaigns should move beyond conventional news reporting by incorporating persuasive message strategies, testimonials from successful beneficiaries, audience-centred storytelling, and interactive engagement formats. Furthermore, television messages should explicitly communicate the economic and entrepreneurial value of vocational skills while addressing prevailing misconceptions that favour white-collar employment over vocational careers.