GIJ admits 420 fresh students this year

Accra, Oct.30, GNA - Mr. David Newton, Rector of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, on Saturday, announced that the institute was reviewing its curriculum, expanding facilities and introducing new programmes in line with of the presidential charter granted it.

The charter allows the GIJ to award its own degrees, certificates

and diplomas, he explained, saying the institute is already

experimenting with new courses such as Globalization, On-line

Journalism and Multi-media Studies. The rector was addressing the 10th Matriculation of the

institute in Accra. "New areas to be developed as part of the curriculum review

are Information Communication Technology (ICT), Business

Management, Entrepreneurial and Leadership Skills and

Languages," he added. Mr. Newton noted that 420 applicants, including four

foreigners, gained admission to pursue various programmes. This year's group of freshmen and women represents the

second batch of students to be matriculated by the institute under

its new charter. He also said the focus of the university has been on

strengthening its human resource capacity, research and

documentation, improving on its ICT and infrastructural

development. Currently, the institute is working with an American NGO to

implement a multi-country project to improve access and the use

of demographic data among researchers, media organizations,

donor agencies and other users for development planning. The project is expected to develop training programmes for

both media practitioners and students. Mr. Newton said the institute launched its maiden edition of the

academic journal, known as the Journal of Communication, Media

and Society (JOCMAS). He urged the new students to work hard to develop an

analytical mind in such a competitive environment and asked them

to the obey rules and regulations and must maintain strict

adherence to the disciplinary code and ethical value of the institute. Mr. Paul Dzandu, Deputy Executive Secretary of National

Council for Tertiary Education, who represented Mr. Alex Tettey

-Enyo, Minister of Education, said the institute had made some

strides in improving and strengthening learning, teaching and

research since the presentation of the charter. He said the government has been pursuing initiatives aimed at

utilizing options both locally and internationally to upgrade and

improve the infrastructural capacity of the institute. Mr. Tettey-Enyo urged the institute's governing council and

management to explore other avenues to secure funds to speed up

the development of GIJ's infrastructure. He asked the new students to utilise the opportunity to broaden

their horizon, imbibe the tenets of leadership and discipline and to

develop an inquiring mind.