dc.description.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. | en |