Coverage of education issues in Kenya's print media: a case of two Kenyan dailies.

Abstract

The provision of quality education and training to all Kenyans is fundamental to the success of the government's overall strategy. In a road map to development status, the government in its Vision 2030, cited education as vehicle to this attainment. In view of this, the government introduced free primary education in 2003 and is in the process of implementing free secondary education. The government's commitment to the sector is largely seen in the huge funding allocated to the education sector. This study is of the view that the media plays a big part in the promotion of education in this country. It therefore analyzes coverage of education sector issues by the print media. Education issues here include early childhood development (ECD) primary, secondary, and university sub sectors. The study has also analyzed the coverage given to the ministry's semi-autonomous government agencies (SAGAs) in relation to education. They were coded in one category with Ministry of Education's administrative issues. Cross cutting issues in relation to education such as HIV/AIDs, lCT, gender, were put in another category. The study answers such questions as: What aspects of education issues receive coverage in Kenya's print media? For those that receive coverage, what type of coverage is it? News coverage or well investigated coverage that can educate readers? What level of importance is given to education issues? The study analyzed the content of two mainstream daily newspapers, Nation and the Standard over a period of three months. The findings show that the secondary schools sub-sector attracted most media coverage compared to other education issues. News was the main product in the coverage, giving this study reason to conclude that journalists do not conduct exhaustive investigation in their coverage. Finally, not much importance is given education issues since they hardly get splash treatment or "make headlines". In the period under the study, the media only gives education issues splash headlines during release of a national examination, probably to make quick sales from parents and the public eager to know the results.