HOW TO REPORT THE EDUCATION BEAT

Journalist in action

At the early beginning of journalism in the country, what operates in media organizations across the country, were general beat reporters, who on daily basis, are saddled with the task of covering all the beats.

A known fact in journalism establishes that it's the public right to know. But since the daily routine of covering all beats became a huge task for the reporter and the fact that consumers of this information from the mass media varies, the covering of news from different specified fields became necessary.

This brings to the front burner, what is today known as Specialized Reporting.

Having established that a specialized reporter needs not to rove around to all beats like a sighing wanderer, in search of news, but to concentrate on his assigned field/beat, let's see what Education Beat, our main point of discourse entails.

WHAT IS EDUCATION BEAT?

According to Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English, sixth edition, the literary meaning of education states that "It's a process of teaching, training and learning, especially in schools and colleges, to improve knowledge and develop skills."

As the education beat is one of the assigned areas of coverage in modern journalism, what this implies is that an education reporter or correspondent is expected to concern himself with the coverage of institutions involved in the process of teaching, training and learning, thereby improving knowledge and skills.

KNOWING THE FUNDAMENTALS

As an education reporter in Nigeria, you have to know that formerly, Nigeria operates the 6-3-3-4
system of education which means a child spends six years in primary school, three in junior secondary, three in senior secondary school and four in a tertiary institution. This has been changed to 9-3-4, meaning nine years in primary school (basic education), three in secondary and four in the tertiary institution.

However, the reality is that the country is still operating the 6-3-3-4 system.

AIMS OF EDUCATION

Apooyin (2011: 17) says that in a modest society, education is meant to address the following:
-Promoting national unity and international understanding

-Removing social inequalities, poverty, diseases, illiteracy, ignorance, superstition and fear

-Providing individual happiness and pleasures, self realization, morality and tasteful development

- Training for good citizenship, health improvement, vocational competence, industrial and commercial developments like adult literacy

-Promoting high-level manpower for economic development

-Promoting public enlightenment and civilized behaviour

-Striking a balance between indigenous culture and foreign culture

-Providing harmoniously balanced and contented individuals

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION

Section 18 sub-sections (1-3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, provides for Educational objectives.

18(1) Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels

(2) Government shall promote science and technology

(3) Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy; and to this end Government shall as and when
practicable provide-

(a) Free, compulsory and universal primary education
(b) Free university education; and

(c) Free adult literacy programme

This constitutional provision provides that education is a right in Nigeria and not a privilege.

However, a critical examination of the above provisions shows that Nigeria’s education
sector is yet to achieve or attain all or most of these aims, over the last 55 years of our existence as an independent nation?

The education beat is therefore an interesting area of coverage for practicing and young journalists in the country.

WHAT TO COVER?

1.  Schools (Creche, Nursery, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary)

2.  Teachers

3. Learners

4. Government policies and programmes as they relate to the education sector

5. Press conference invitations by educational institutions, non-governmental organizations,
ministries and parastatals

6. Press releases issued by educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, ministries and parastatals

7.  Newsworthy events from parents/teachers associations, students' associations etc

8.Parliamentary proceedings relating to education in the Senate, House of Representatives, State
Assemblies and Local Government Assemblies

9.Oversight functions/visits by Senate and House Committees on Education to ministries, parastatals and federal government owned educational institutions of learning, as well as that of State Assemblies

10. Federal Ministry of Education and parastatals

11. State Ministry of Education and parastatals

12. Local Education Authority (LEA)

13. State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)

14. The West African Examination Council (WAEC)

15. National Examination Council (NECO)

16. The National Universities Commission (NUC)

17. The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)

18. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)

19. Happenings at international organizations concerned with the growth and development of education across the globe e.g. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) etc.

TIPS FOR EDUCATION REPORTER

-Build and maintain contacts with experts/stakeholders in your field. They can be government officials, school management, teachers, retired teachers, parents' fora, alumni fora, students etc.

-Interview three or more sources to spice up your story

-Keep calendar/diary of national and international events in your beat. For example you should know that UNESCO's World Literacy Day is September 8; World Poetry Day, March 21; World Book and Copyright Day, April 23 etc.

-Ensure you arrive at programmes, say 30 minutes before commencement. This principle enables you get your brain and media gadgets ready for action

- Always read your newspaper and others to develop new angles or missing links to reported stories

-Also, listen to radio and television programmes for this same purpose

- You can also surf the internet to give backgrounding to your stories

-Define and be explicit with technical terms that the reader or listener may not be familiar with

-Interprete data, charts and graphs for your readers

-Build a library of reference materials on your beat. File away newspapers, magazines and house

Journal articles dealing with subjects on your beat for future reference

-Make sure your reports are accurate. Ensure that the figures you are quoting are correct

-Check on your contacts constantly. If you can't go there, phone or text them

-Provide current and up-to-date information, avoid stale and boring stories

- Though you should maintain contacts and be friendly, never be too friendly as to compromise your professional integrity

- When writing your stories, write in such a way as to make readers relate and identify with the story.

-Avoid plagiarism. Always give credit to original news sources (medium)

- When writing a features or news analysis on your beat, ensure you outline your points on a piece of paper. It's not advisable to write straight from the head, as there is likely to be incoherency on the way.

-Always write a good lead that would summarize your story and stylishly attract your readers to read all other succeeding paragraphs of your story. Meanwhile, it's pertinent you familiarize yourself with the types of lead.

-Subdivide the body of your story into paragraphs, containing singular and major points

-Ernploy the KISS formular (Keep it short and simple) in your stories. Avoid the use of wordiness of your sentences by using several words (phrases) where one word would
do e.g. It's good to use the latter than the former:

Due to the fact that (because); in view of the fact that (why); the reason for (since); for the reason that (for); despite the fact that (though); regardless of the fact that (although); as regards (regarding); in reference to (about); concerning the fact that (concerning); it is necessary that (must); there is need for (should); has the ability (can); on the subject of (on); has the capacity for (can); is in the position to (can); for the purpose of (to); in close proximity to (near); make contact with (meet); in the not too distant future (soon); as a matter of fact (actually); aware of the fact that (know); to the effect that
(that); the way in which (how); in the event that (if); be that as it may (nevertheless); with reference (about); concordance (agreement); despite the fact that (although); prior to (before) and remains (body). The list remains endless.

-Always use active voice to passive voice. Active voice is livelier, saves time and space. E.g. The Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. John Obafunwa delivered the Keynote address, yesterday (Active voice) is better than The Keynote address was delivered by the Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. John Obafunwa (Passive voice).

While the former contains 14 words, the latter contains 15 words.

-For clarity, use the first name and surname of sources or makers of your news stories. Use Prof. John Obafunwa, instead of Prof. John or Prof. Obafunwa.

-Don't misinterprete the titles of your news sources or makers. This is libellous in nature. E.g. it's libellous for you to use Mr. for a Professor.

- Balance your stories, by giving hearing and prominence to parties involved in a contentious suit or feud.

-Be objective in your reportage and avoid being bias

-Clearly attribute and quote the statements of your sources

- Always verify contentious statements before going to press. An old newsroom axiom says, "When in doubt, check; when still in doubt, leave out."

-Be familiar with the house style of your news organization and adopt it religiously.

-In all, read anything that comes your way. Readers are leaders.

Follow me on twitter @ikennaasomba13

FOR FURTHER STUDIES READ

-Principles of News and Feature Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Effective News and Feature Writing by Iyiola Oluloyin

-A Master Style Guide by Sylvanus A. Ekwelie

-The Reporter's Companion: A Complete Guide to News Reporting and Writing by Mudathir Ganiyu

-Specialized Reporting by Biodun Apooyin