Kenya 4.9 Training facilities offer formal qualification programmes for journalists as well as opportunities to upgrade their skills. ANALYSIS: Up until some years ago, journalism was not perceived as a profession by institutions of higher learning and regarded as too mundane to deserve a course. That has now changed, with journalists being seen as “writers of the first draft of history”. The University of Nairobi’s School of Journalism offers diploma and M.A. courses; the Daystar University M.A., the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication and the Kenya Polytechnique have diploma and certificate courses. The output of trained journalists is now much higher than what the market can absorb. Other institutions offering journalism training are the US International University, Moi University, Maseno University and the Tangaza Institute. Although some of these institutions, the School of Journalism in particular, invite professionals from media houses and the KBC to share hands-on experience, the practical orientation of courses is still very limited. There is need for training institutions to work in partnership with media houses. Post graduate training should aim at specialised areas such as law, environment or gender. Media houses themselves conduct in-house training, and some offer fellowships. SCORES: Individual scores: 5,5,5,4,4,4,3,4,5,4,5 Average score: 4.4 African Media Barometer - Kenya 2005 31