Should curricula be the same? Towards media studies curriculum reforms in Kenya

Abstract

This chapter examines the response of Kenyan universities to stakeholder demands regarding media studies curricula and how these processes impact the decolonisation of the media studies curriculum. The study purposively sampled media, communication, and film studies curricula from three public and three private universities in Kenya and reviewed curriculum guidelines published by the Media Council of Kenya and the Commission for University Education. Key informant interviews were conducted with 20 stakeholders from the Commission for University Education, the Media Council of Kenya, and public and private universities. The findings indicate that regulatory institutions and institutions of higher learning in Kenya hinder decolonising the media curriculum. This is due to the reluctance of higher learning institutions to decolonise the curriculum, as well as ineffective action by regulatory bodies. The chapter argues that a fundamental disruption of conventional hierarchies of knowledge production is needed and that initiatives such as Afrokology, which resonates with conditions on the continent, should be encouraged. Additionally, universities should take the lead in decolonising efforts, including corrective action in the design and teaching of media studies from African communication perspectives.