BWIRE: Student journalism clubs the new space for media information and digital literacy

As the wave of misinformation, harmful content and clamour for clean information sphere picks globally, players in the information space are coming up with innovative interventions to equip, users, especially the youth skills and tools to use and produce media content responsibly.

Increasingly, the biggest group that is using media spaces, majorly the digital platforms are youth, who are making money through content monetisation strategies thus getting income, participating in national conversations on key public interest issues, and more recently misusing the media space thus  causing conflicts with the law, and attracting heavy fines because of defamatory or spreading harmful content are the youth, mostly in the formal education system in the country. Students in secondary schools’ snip phones into schools and or have entertainment sessions over the weekend, which they use, thus play a big role in the information ecosystem.

Remember, the school fires, examination leakages among other viral information that is generated by students and the impact it has had. On holidays, students are given assignments which they use phones, tablets and related communications gadgets, connected to internet, and during such, they create, curate and distribute, information, both clean and polluted.

With advancement in ICT society, it is becoming increasingly interconnected, easing sharing of information and resources using media. Furthermore, the growing use of algorithms and Artificial Intelligence transform the nature of the information creation and distribution cycle – raising questions of freedom and autonomy. Youth including students use media platforms, both liberty and digital spaces to create and consume information, many times manipulated and weaponised against some issues in the country, human rights violations, radicalisation and recruitment into violent extremism, which is not useful.  For information to be useful to citizens to realize their human rights, it must be clean, timely and available, in the context of the current information overflow that many times only makes noise.

It’s precisely this realisation that the Media Council of Kenya working with various secondary schools in Kenya have revitalised journalism clubs, which have long existed in schools as platforms for nurturing communication skills, creativity, and early interest in media practice as the new space for media information and digital literacy. The clubs are being used as avenues for sensitisation forums, town halls and freedom of expression cafes, where important skills and tools for identifying, fact checking and production of clean information that can attract money, and being imbibed in students at that early age, so that a culture for information of integrity is created.

The Competency-Based Education (CBE) model recognises Media Technology as a key pathway, further underscores the need to formalise journalism clubs. This calls for their recognition and support by the relevant stakeholders i.e Ministry of Education and the Media Council of Kenya, to help align them with national education priorities and strengthen their role in skills development and career preparation in the evolving media landscape.

The student journalism schools have become very popular, and with the MCK now having established a framework to mainstream them in media sector interventions,  they have critical avenues for enhancing students’ understanding of media literacy, journalism principles, and ethics, promoting critical thinking and analytical skills in evaluating media content for the students, encouraging, creativity in content creation through writing, photography, and multimedia, fostering leadership, collaboration, and teamwork among students, build awareness of responsible media consumption and production practices, and more importantly provide a platform for students mentorship

The Kenyan government has embraced ICT in the provision of services. The establishment of Huduma centres across the country, directive on E-government, the Digital Literacy program, the Konza Technopolis, the setting up of e-citizen portal and availability of other government services including the application of passports, driver’s license, birth certificates, tracking of exams results online, among others require that citizens be responsible in the means and forms of communication to effectively take advantage of these services.

The demand for information integrity and responsible production and consumption of content including on both traditional media channels and digital platforms in the face widespread harmful content, including but not limited to hate speech, disinformation, and foreign information manipulation is at the core of media regulation and content moderation.

The corrupted and manipulated information ecosystem has become the oxygen of disinformation, misinformation and foreign manipulation of information globally including on critical things like elections, security and death, where doctored information is shared with unsuspecting citizens. Media, especially digital platforms, have become the main arena where the pollution of information is happening, and in equal measure is the place where efforts on information integrity, accountability and influence must focus.

Exposing students to skills and tools for responsible use of media content can fuel entrepreneurship and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals – especially SDG 12 on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns and SDG 16 which speaks to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and of the right to access to information.

Schools have come up student journalism expos, positioned as learning and showcase platforms (not competitions) aligned with the Competency-Based Education (CBE) model, emphasizing skills development, creativity, and Media Information and Digital Literacy (MIDL).

Together with other innovative interventions such as formation of press clubs and media hubs, media information and digital literacy are proving as new frontiers for access to information of integrity as the war for clean and responsible media content intensifies in the country.