Presentation notes for the national seminar on “Overcoming Challenges of Journalism Education Nepal” organized jointly by National Integrated College and Media Action Nepal with support from University Grants Commission. 16-17 vMay, 2016 Kathmandu

Media Education in Nepal:Gap between colleges\ universities and Media Industry

Background

  • It has been four decades since the inception of journalism education in Nepal
  • Currently, TU, PU, KU and Higher Secondary Board offer journalism course.
  • For many decades, there were limited colleges that offered this course and the scope is expanded
  • The journalism education was largely expanded in the last one decade but failed to keep the same pace
  • It was a subject of major attraction but it is losing its glamour
  • Now, the number of students have shrunk and many colleges have already closed their department, more colleges are set close department

Why the number if student is becoming low?

  • Initially, there was attraction due to its glamour, name and fame
  • When students did not get the opportunity
  • Students who joined media houses got frustrated and passed them others
  • The prestige of journalism shrunk hugely
  • The issue of minimum wage de-motivated new comer
  • It seems that journalism is gradually losing social prestige and it has impacted the journalism education

Problems with Media Houses

  • Media houses are not cooperative
  • They are reluctant to provide students internship opportunity
  • Some media houses exploit students charging money
  • Media houses put the byline in stories instead of encouraging
  • They only encourage that colleges are not producing the type of manpower actually they need.

Lack of institutional approach

  • Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu University and Purbanchal University are not making approach with Media houses on institutional way
  • there is lack of discussions between colleges and university about the actual requirement
  • Colleges are non- cooperative students, students are left alone to deal with media houses when it comes to practical works

Gradual improvement

  • But the situation is not totally pessimistic
  • People who have acquired the journalism education are getting promotion to upper level and number is going up
  • Media houses are realizing that along with language, other journalistic skills are required
  • When the people who have acquired journalism education, they will promote the students

Lack of infrastructures

  • There are no colleges which provides comprehensive courses on broadcasting and online
  • we talk about multi-media journalism but universities lack such infrastructures
  • Recently Kathmandu University and other colleges have just started to set up PM Radio but we have already moved ahead
  • There is not investment in the colleges

Blame-Game

  • Media houses put blame that academicians cannot work
  • Academicians say media houses are being run by those who do not have theoretical knowledge
  • Media houses want who can write not who could be good journalists
  • Language is only one qualification but media houses think it is all in news room

Gap between Teacher and student

  • Students do not about their target and objectives
  • I personally have found several cases that student do not know why they are studying journalism
  • Teachers do not have journalism experiences
  • Journalists do not have sound academic background to teach in the colleges
  • There is no balance between Theory and practice
  • India houses put blame that academicians cannot work, while academicians do not what to do
  • Students do not know about their target and objectives
  • I personally have found several cases that student do not know why they are studying journalism

How to improve practical exam system?

  • We all know the status of practical
  • Students are getting marks so they think; they do not need to do practical
  • TU show make drastic measure to improve the practical
  • Practical is key but it has been neglected
  • We all know that students are preparing fake project work but we are not doing anything

What next?

  • There is a need of collaboration between Media houses and colleges
  • Government should the policy to ensuring that media houses ensure to provide space to media houses
  • There is a need of interaction between two sides

Kamal Dev Bhattarai, 16 May, 2016

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