But what has been even more neglected is the need for starter journalism education or, where relevant, continuing education, for working media professionals. Accuracy is possibly at an all time low in South African journalism, ability to apply background is often non-existent. Spelling, grammar and vocabulary are appalling. A stress on good writing is fundamental for journalism education to be valuable. Around the issues thrown up by new technologies, like digital manipulation of photographs, little education has occurred.
Training here is vital.
Yet, if there is one thing that journalism education ought to do, this is to engender an understanding of how arguments and assumptions operate - a fine complement to teaching how power works, how history hones our stories of the present, how the subtleties of race and gender permeate our representation of society. Driving the process is the government's National Qualifications Framework, which requires rationalisation and standard setting amongst trainers. Linked to accreditation will be funding - via government subsidy to tertiary institutions, plus via a training tax administered through industrial Sector Education and Training Authorities. In South Africa, with reference to our rainbow, there could well be space for assessing training institutions with regard to rainbow performance in language, gender and racial provisions for staff and curriculum. In this way, it may become possible over time to really ensure that journalism education in South Africa is valuable - that it counts in the most optimum way for this whole, complex country wrestling with the divisions of its tortured history.