Communication and Journalism Curricula in Africa: The Case of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
Date
1993Author
Ochilo, Polycarp Omolo
Type
Working PaperLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This is an incisive scientific evaluation of the existing curricula
in journalism and communication training institutions in East
Africa. The study pays close attention to most of the crucial
elements of a good curricula, including the aims and objectives
of the courses, the teaching methods adopted, the assessment
methods of the courses and the flexibility of the courses to
accomodate community, national, regional, continental and
international needs.
The aims of the study were five-fold: To provide emphirical
evidence on the orientations, objectives and scope of the existing
curricula in journalism and communication training in East
Africa; to suggest variousways of re-modelling the curricula; to
access the quality of training offered to journalists so as to find
out if they are being adequately funded and teachers well
remunerated and; to generate fresh data on journalism and
communication training in the region which can be used by
policy makers and implementors in shaping future training
needs.
Field survey research design was used to collect data from
51
various media practitioners from media organisations, broadcast
stations, newspapers, training institutions and governmental
departments. A total of 19, 21 and 22 respondents from Uganda,
Tanzania and Kenya respectively were interviewed.
The study raises concern over two pertinent issues: the fact
that the training institutions have less teaching staff and that
the curricula used are relatively old with the newest having been
drawn in 1994. The author suggests that there ought to be
regular review of the curricula to make them responsive to the
ever-changing media demands.
Three track approach to the review of the curricula are
recommended. They invite Unesco and other stakeholders to
commission further studies aimed at a comprehensive
improvement of the curricula so that the beneficiaries may be
able to face the various complex communication challenges
facing their communities and countries; the region, continent
and the world.
URI
http://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/africa%20media%20review/vol11no2/jamr011002005.pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11295/38896
Citation
Polycarp J. Omolo Ochilo,Communication and Journalism Curricula in Africa: The Case of Kenya, Uganda and TanzaniaPublisher
University of Nairobi College of Humanities and Social Sciences