University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA NEWSPAPERS REPORTAGE ON THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION IN GHANA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GHANAIAN TIMES AND DAILY GUIDE FIANKO - OKYERE DAVID 2016 University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION NEWSPAPERS REPORTAGE ON THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION IN GHANA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GHANAIAN TIMES AND DAILY GUIDE FIANKO - OKYERE DAVID (8140230002) A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (M.PHIL) DEGREE IN HUMAN RIGHTS OCTOBER, 2016 University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh DECLARATION Student’s Declaration I, DAVID FIANKO-OKYERE declare that this thesis, with the exception of quotations and references contained in published works which have all been identified and duly acknowledged, is entirely my own original work, and it has not been submitted, either in part or whole, for another degree elsewhere. SIGNATURE : ……………………………………………… DATE : ……………………………………………….. Supervisor’s Declaration I hereby declare that the preparation and presentation of this work was supervised in accordance with the guidelines for supervision of thesis as laid down by the University Of Education, Winneba. NAME OF SUPERVISOR: DR. GEORGE HIKAH BENSON SIGNATURE : ……………………………………………….. DATE : ……………………………………………….. ii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh DEDICATION I dedicate this work to the Lord Almighty for the knowledge He has given me and His protection over me. To my wife and spiritual mother, Gertrude Agbesi of Saint Paul Lutheran School, Tema and my children, Jacqueline, Lois & Jude. Also to my parents who continue to encourage and support my education- financially and morally. iii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Gerorge Hikah Benson of the Department of Social Studies, University of Education, and Winneba for his support, inspiration, and guidance he offered me throughout the entire process of working on this project. He challenged me to search for important materials that helped me a lot. Without his readiness in discussing my research with me at every stage, this thesis would not have been completed. I am extremely grateful to my other human rights lecturers, Dr. Kumi Ansa Koi, Dr. Harrison Kwame Golo, Dr. Jim Weiler, and Mr. Alexender A.K.D. Frempong of the Social Studies Department, for their tutorials during course work discussions. The support of late Ms Edna of the Social Studies Department during my first year MPhil studies is much appreciated. I would also like to thank my course mates who shared ideas with me during term paper presentations and thesis proposal defence. I thank the librarians at the Graduate School Library, of the University of Education, Winneba. I also thank Richard Attenka of the Ghanaian Chronicle for his support and help during data collection. I am also grateful to the Director of Public Affairs, Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Cephas Arthur and my colleague members of staff who assisted me during this course and project. Finally, I thank my family, especially my wife and spiritual mother, Auntie Gertrude of Saint Pauls Lutherans School, Tema, for her constant support, love and reassurances. Gertrude I say I am grateful. iv University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENT PAGE DECLARATION ii DEDICATION iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v LIST OF TABLES ix ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS x ABSTRACT xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background to the Work 1 1.2 The Statement of the Problem 10 1.3 The Theoretical Frame Work 12 1.4 Purpose of the Study 14 1.5 Objective of the Study 14 1.6 The Research Questions 14 1.7 Significance of the Study 15 1.8 Definition of Terms 15 1.9 Delimitation of the Study 16 1.10 The Organization of the Study 18 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 19 2.0 Introduction 19 2.1 The Concept of Human Rights 19 2.2 The State of Human Rights in Ghana 22 2.3 The Right to Education 23 v University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 2.4 The Right to Education in Ghana 34 2.5 The Media and Human Rights in Ghana 39 2.6 Newspapers and their Role in the Ghanaian Society 48 2.7 Newspaper Headlines 52 2.8 Conclusions 52 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 54 3.0 Introduction 54 3.1 Research Design 54 3.2 Population of the Study 56 3.3 Sample Size 57 3.4 Sampling Technique 57 3.5 Instruments for Data Collection 58 3.6 Source of Data Collections 59 3.7 Methods of Data Analysis 60 3.8 Validity 62 3.9 Reliability 63 3.10 Ethical Considerations and Access 63 CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS 66 4.0 Introduction 66 4.1 The Aim of the Study 67 4.2 How Data was collected 67 4.3 Presentation of Data on Daily Guide and Ghanaian Times Newspapers 68 4.4. Data collected on Daily Guide and Ghanaians Times in the year 2015 representing: 69 vi University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 4.5 Data collected on Daily Guide and Ghanaians Times in the year 2014 representing: 71 4.6 Data collected on Daily Guide and The Ghanaian Times in the year 2013 representing: 75 4.8. Data collected on Daily Guide and The Ghanaians Times in the year 2012 representing: 80 4.9 Identified headlines with the right to education themes 83 4.10 Conclusions 84 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 85 5.0 Introduction 85 5.1. Brief Analysis on the Newspaper Contents from 2012-2015 86 5.2 RQ1: How frequent do Ghanaian Times and Daily Guide newspapers report on the right to education? 87 5. 3 RQ2. Themes on the Right to Education in the Headlines of the Newspapers 91 5.4 Positions of the Right to Education Headlines in the Newspapers 91 5.5 Editorial Headlines with the right to education themes in the Newspapers 95 5.6. Conclusion 97 CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND, RECOMMENDATIONS 99 6.0 Introduction 99 6.1 Summary of Key Findings 99 6.2 Conclusion 104 6.3 Recommendations 110 vii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 6.4 Limitations of the Study 112 6.5 Suggestions for Further Studies 113 BIBLIOGRAPHY 115 APPENDICES 126 APPENDIX A 126 APPENDIX B 127 APPENDIX C 128 viii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 4.4a: Daily Guide: 2015 69 4.4b: Ghanaian Times: 2015 70 4.5a: Daily Guide: 2014 71 4.5b: The Ghanaian Times: 2014 73 4.6a Ghanaian Times: 2013 76 4.6b Daily Guide: 2013 79 4.7a: Daily Guide: 2012 81 4.7b: The Ghanaian Times: 2012 82 ix University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS CHRAJ : Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice HRC : Human Rights Commission UN : United Nations UDHR : Universal Declaration of Human Rights ICCPR : International Convention on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR : International Covenant on Economic and Cultural Rights ECOSOC : Economic and Social Council UCHR : United Nations Commission on Human Rights CADE : Convention Against Discrimination in Education. ICESCR : International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights CRC : Convention on the Rights of the Child RTE : Right to Education MOE : Ministry of Education and Sports UNICEF : United Nations Children‟s Fund ACHPR : African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights ICCPR : International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights UNESCO : United Nations Education, Scientific & Cultural Organization NCA : National Communication Authority NMC : National Media Commission GJA : Ghana Journalists Association CEDAW : Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ACPc : African Caribbean and Pacific Countries x University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh ABSTRACT Globally, education has been recognised as a human right since the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948. It has since been affirmed in numerous global human rights treaties, instruments, and documents including the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Conventions against Discrimination in Education, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (UNESCO & UNICEF, 2007). The Topic- Newspaper Reportage on The Right to Education in Ghana: A Content Analysis of Ghanaian Times and Daily Guide, sought to investigate how the print media in particular the above mentioned newspapers reported on the right to education. This was aimed at finding out the right to education themes they used in their headlines to promote the subject matter amongst Ghanaians from January, 2012 to September, 2015. The study made use of the qualitative research method and the data came from an in-depth and systematic content analysis of the Ghanaian Times and Daily Guide newspapers while the Agenda Setting and Social Responsibility Theories of the Media were employed for the analysis. The findings of the study revealed that even though the two newspapers reported on education, the human right aspect of education in the headlines was less in both newspapers. These were corroborated in the content analysis undertaken by the researcher on the two newspapers. The study therefore recommends that newspapers should use the right to education themes in their educational headlines to promote the subject matter as human rights amongst Ghanaian. The study will open the door for future researchers to delve more into issues on the right to education promotion by the media including radio and television to expand the frontiers of academic literature on the subject matter.