GIJ first batch of degree holders are out

Accra, March 14, GNA - Mr David Newton, the Director of the Institute of Journalism, has called on the government to help put up permanent structures on the school's land at Legon because some unscrupulous individuals were encroaching on the land. He said the institute, which had existed for over 40 years "still cannot boast of infrastructure development" as a result of which it could admit only some few students for its pilot degree programme in 2001.

Mr Newton was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the University of Ghana, Legon, convocation at which the institute's first batch of students were awarded degrees.

The graduates, made up of three women and six men, were among over 4,000 other students who graduated from the University of Ghana.

Mr Newton expressed his joy of seeing the first batch of B.A holders from the Institute passing out despite the initial difficulties.

Mr Richard Mensah, one of the graduates and a former Students' Representative Council (SRC) President of the institute, appealed to the government to expedite action in placing the Institute under the Ministry of Education to enable it enjoy facilities from the GETFund and its lectures to also enjoy the same facilities as their counterparts under the Ministry of Education.