Reversal of Gender Disparity in Journalism Education- Study of Ghana Institute of Journalism

Abstract

Journalism has practically become a feminine profession across the world. To understand the root of the flow of women into the Journalism profession it is pertinent to begin at the university education level. Gallagher’s 1992 worldwide survey of female students in 83 journalism institutions reveals a significant increase in number of female students. Djerf-Pierre (2007) and others argue along Bourdieu’s conception of education as a form of social capital which empowers, enable and enhances women’s competitiveness in a pre-dominantly androgynous social arena. Using 16 years of enrolment data retrieved from the Academic Affair Unit of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), a leading Journalism, and Communication University in Africa, the empirical study examines the growing feminization of journalism. This study uses the UNESCO gender parity index model (GPI) to ascertain the gender parity ratio of male to female students enrolled at the University. Findings indicate a significant shift in the gender parity ratio in favor of women in the journalism education.