An assessment of anti-corruption communications to University of Zambia Students

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the anti-corruption communications to the University of Zambia (UNZA) main campus full-time undergraduate students. The specific objectives included: To assess the nature of collaboration between the University of Zambia and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on programs aimed at sensitizing students on corruption issues, to establish what type of communications on corruption are disseminated to the students, to establish what channels of communications are used to inform students on corruption on campus, to establish the sources of information on corruption to the students and to determine the students’ perceptions towards communications on corruption on campus. The study was of descriptive design and used both qualitative and quantitative methods in gathering the data. 100 self-administered questionnaires were distributed using convenience sampling method to full time under graduate students at the University of Zambia for quantitative data. The researcher further conducted 3 in-depth Interviews with a Community Education Senior Officer from the Anti-Corruption Commission, a Lecturer of Philosophy and applied Ethics from the University of Zambia and the Dean of Students from the University of Zambia Main Campus. The researcher used the thematic analysis on qualitative data, and used SPSS and excel software for descriptive statistics and generation of frequencies and distribution. The study established that there was uncertainty as to how much information students at UNZA had with regards to corruption. It was also discovered that communication on corruption at the University of Zambia was not adequate. This was due to the fact that students received information mostly through the media, friends and relatives more than they received from the University of Zambia (UNZA) and Anti-corruption Commission (ACC). There was also no visible collaboration between the University of Zambia and Anti –Corruption Commission. It was further discovered that the channels of communications that were used to inform students on corruption on campus included; television programs, radio programs, newspaper articles, posters, internet, and social media. Based on the findings, the study recommends among other that, the student union/ association should also highlight issues of corruption in their activities in campus and sensitize their fellow students through activities such as drama performances, sensitization talks and posters among others.