AKSU Journal of Communication Research (AJCR)

EVALUATION OF MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE NEWLY PROPOSED EDUCATION POLICY IN NIGERIA

Author:  DR. MARIA KISUGU OBUN-ANDY & DR. ADEJARE SAMUEL ODU

Abstract
Policy making which entails programmes of action to engender development is a critical aspect of a nation’s governance. Communication scholars have posited that the press, amongst its functions, is expected to perform the role of informing, educating, entertaining and persuading the public in that direction. Hence, this study evaluated the media coverage of the newly proposed 12-4 education policy in Nigeria to capture the level of media coverage in terms of the frequency, prominence and depth given to the policy. The study adopted content analysis of some selected newspapers covering February and March 2025 and it was anchored on the framing theory. The population of the study was 216 editions and158 editions were purposively sampled from the Punch, the Nation, Tribune and Vanguard based on availability. The result of the study revealed that the frequency of reports on the newly proposed education policy in all the newspapers investigated was significantly low with only nine items (5.7%) from the units of analysis examined. The prominence given to the new education policy was also very low. Out of the nine items coded, The Nation (1item, 4.8%) and Vanguard (1 item, 4.5%) placed the issue on their front pages while others used inside pages. While the depth of treatment given to the issue was equally poor because only one item each featured on full page from the Nation (5%) and Vanguard (4.5%). Others were on half page sand less than a quarter pages. It was concluded that the newly proposed system of education has not been given adequate print media coverage. It was recommended that the media should wake up to their responsibilities in order to achieve success in respect to public mobilisation and sensitization for the new policy making and implementation.