Journalism Education in Nepal: introduction

The rapid strides in mass media industry in recent times have opened up new opportunities of employment for young people as never before. While prospects of employment require specialized skills and knowledge, it has opened up new possibilities of launching education programmes in journalism at new universities located at various geographic locations of the Kingdom. In addition, it has also received the attention of many entrepreneurs and academics. A number of private agencies have come up with offers for post graduate/Masters programmes in Journalism or communication studies with approval from new universities or overseas institutions.

Such a free-for-all situation1though welcome is bound to suffer if proper safe-guards Land parameter of standards is not observed early stages. Unplanned and disoriented endeavours are likely to jeopardise the very dignity of the profession and the social service mission of journalism. But who is going to monitor the pit-falls or lapses in the interest of the society? While the entire gamut of education is itself in a mess as regards to the observance of ethics and standards, journalism, at best, is a neglected domain left at the niercy of market forces or pressure groups. The Fourth Estate which is supposed to keep a vigil on the mal-performance of democratic institutions and chastise them throUgh objective presentation of facts, is itself suffering from its own weaknesses and short-comings.

In the backdrop of these disturbing trends, the paper seeks to examine the relevance of journalism education in Nepal in the context of Tribhuvan University, which is by far, the oldest and largest institution of advanced education in the Kingdom.

Study of Journalism in the formal educational set up was introduced in Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, Kathmandu in 1976 as a two-year optional subject at the proficiency certificate level (equivalent to 10+2 standard) under Tribhuvan University. Senior journalists in principal media organisations were inducted to work as part-time lecturers at the newly opened faculty of journalism. In 1986, the faculty was extended to cover education at the two-year diploma level (equivalent to Bachelor level, now rendered into a three-year course). From 1986, Peoples' Campus, a private campus, in Kathmandu, introduced the course at the certificate level.

From 1997, the Higher Secondary Education Board, HMG (HSEB) has introduced courses in Journalism and Mass Communication as optional subjects at Grade Xl and Xli. Still later; starting from the year 2001, the Board of Secondary Education, HMG, has prescribed Journalism for Grade IX and X as an optional subject.

Training in Journalism in the non-formal sector was launched in Nepal from 1984 by Nepal Press Institute. By now, a host of training organisations of various genres are in the business of imparting training in journalism to diverse clientele groups. Nepal Press Institute provided professional expertise in the development of curriculum and operative guidelines at the Secondary and Higher Secondary levels.