GIJ holds 42nd Graduation Day

The degree program to be run by the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) will start this September with the first batch of 40 students.

The batch, made up of 20 Senior Secondary School leavers and 20 GCE level holders, will start at levels 100 and 200 respectively. Students beginning at level 100 will graduate after four years while those beginning at level 200 will pursue the course for three years.

Mr. David Newton, Director of GIJ, who announced this at the 42nd Graduation Day of the Institute in Accra at the weekend, said the institute, meanwhile ,is developing a special program to enable GIJ diplomats to start the degree program at level 300. ''This arrangements I expected to take effect from 2002/ 2003 academic year.

Mr. Newton said In view of the introduction of the program, to dovetail into the degree program. He also announced that beginning from this academic year , the institute would offer a diploma program in communication Studies. It would be a combination o f Public Relations and Journalism.

The director expressed the hope that the degree program will bring about qualitative change in the standard of Journalism and public relations practice in the country. He called for assistance to enable the institution to deliver to the best of its ability and turn out the calibre of journalist many government have yearned for. The Minister of Media Relations , Ms Elizabeth Ohene in a speech read on her behalf, announced that the enactment of a broadcast policy to guide the promotion of an informative and pluralistic media is in the offing.

Ms Ohene said the government, in its quest to promote higher journalistic standards in the country, would do all it can to resource the institute to enable it turn out well trained journalist as part of measures to enhance the development of quality journalism.

To this end , she said the Media Relations Minister will give priority attention to infrastructure development of the institute to attract the bets students and teaching staff to match up to academic standards and excellence comparable to any such institute in the world.

Ms Ohene called on the institute to review its curriculum to reflect the increasing importance of the world-wide web in the practice of journalism today.

The chairman of the National Media Commission, (NMC) Mr. Nutifafa Kuenyehhia who also addressed the gathering, challenged the graduate to promote democracy, rule of law and fairness, when they enter into the field. He asked them to continue studying to broaden their intellect to enable them to discharge their duties diligently.

The SRC President of the institute, Mr. Quaranchie Adama-Teteh asked the government to encourage estate developers to construct hostels for the students at affordable prices.