PRINT STUDENTS:

PHOTO: Dr. Wambui Kiai, Director School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

THE UNTOLD SUFFERINGS OF JOURNALISM STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

By Maritim Kipngetich

Third year journalism students at the University of Nairobi majoring in print media have not been attended by their lecturers for the past three weeks. Their ambition to become future print journalists may be deterred by low class attendance by the lecturers.

The classes began officially three weeks ago with students, who are in third year first semester, opting for the areas they are best in. At school of journalism, there are four areas of specialization which include print journalism, broadcast journalism, public relation and development communication.

The students specializing in other fields except print have their lecturers attending them. It is unfortunate that the print journalism, which is considered the hardest among the four specializations, lecturers have not started teaching students. Apart from lecturers missing classes, the lecture halls they normally use to have their lectures are in pathetic condition. The old and dilapidated chairs inside those lecture halls are irritating to the students and they cannot concentrate during lectures.

The old lecturers like Zeke Waweru, who are supposed to have retired, are still teaching the students. The students are complaining that the lecturer sometimes lose the voice when lecturing. The students who were attended by him last semester are the one who attested that.

Among the lecturers who have failed to attend the print media students is Mr. Zeke.

The students also who are majoring in broadcast media lack studios they can use for practical. They are not the only who are suffering, the students who aspire to be print journalists also lack training newspaper. It is sad to note that the University does not even own a magazine for the school of journalism students. That truth is painful considering the fact that the school of journalism at the University was started in 1970s and up to date it does not even have a training radio studio for broadcast students despite charging them thousands of shillings.

 The journalism library found inside administration block contains old books which are not relevant to the current journalism. The archive of the newspapers dating back to 1914 is the only valuable thing found within that library since the print media students may use them for reference.

The University of Nairobi is the best university in East and Central Africa and it should not have petty problems like lecturers not attending classes. It is important for it to maintain the international reputation it has got since it was started in 1956.