GIJ to introduce courses in oil industry, Monday, November 22, 2010, Spread
THE Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) will, from the next academic year, introduce courses in Petroleum and Environmental and Climate Change Reporting in response to the emergence of the oil industry in the country.
The initiative is to ensure that products of the school are well abreast of issues concerning the industry.
The Rector of GIJ, Mr David Newton, announced this at the fourth congregation of the institute, which was on the theme: “The Role of Communication in Ghana's emerging oil industry".
He advised Ghanaians not only to think of the economic gains of the industry but also consider the impact of the oil on the environment, including oil spillage, and other concerns such as dangers of pollution and influx of illegal immigrants.
“It is our hope that as new comers in the oil industry, we shall be guided by the lessons and experiences of other countries which are forerunners in the industry," he added.
The congregation, the second after the institute received its charter to award its own degrees, had 120 students graduating with Diploma in Communication Studies.
Miss Winnifred Ashong-Lamptey emerged as the Overall Best Student and received the Best Journalism Student Award.
The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) sponsored her prize comprising a laptop , a set of books and a six-month internship with the GCGL.
Other awards winners were Miss Abla Emefa Adjei ,the Best Professional Student; Mr Francis Kobina Abban, the Best Student in English Language; Miss Regina Asamoah, the Best in Public Relations , Advertising and Marketing.
Mr Newton added that the institute had introduced an exchange programme with both local and foreign universities and institutions to give the necessary exposure to students and lecturers of the school.
He explained that the initiative would lead to a cross-fertilisation of ideas on a wide range of academic activities.
"In order to reach this objective, the institute has established collaboration with UNESCO, the Open Society Initiative of Africa, Kwantlen University in Canada, Rhodes University in South Africa and other international research organisations.
Mr Newton further stated that the institute would, from the next academic year, launch its portal to ensure greater efficiency in checking examination results and online registration of prospective applicants and also improve upon and update the internal systems and the procedures in the institute.
He said as part of the expansion programme, the academic board had recommended the establishment of a social science faculty as a third faculty, adding that new courses such as Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Business and Management Studies would also be rolled out under a review exercise underway.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Major M. S. Tara (retd), in a speech read on behalf of the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo, urged the institute to go beyond official government support and "identify other sources of funding that will complement government’s efforts and accelerate the common agenda to enable it realise its full potential as the foremost centre of communication excellence in the country".
"With the discovery of oil in the economy, GIJ will be expected to be in the vanguard of training more journalists who will be equipped with the tools and nuances of what the new industry brings,” he said.
He, therefore, advised the management of the institute to adopt new strategies and educate future journalists and public relations practitioners to become conversant with the demands of the oil industry and its communication imperatives.
Major Tara urged the graduates to imbibe the virtues of humility and professionalism and avoid the temptation of using short-cuts to riches and fame.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Chairman of GIJ Governing Council, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, made a passionate appeal to all the alumni of the institute to come together and contribute their quota towards the development of the institute.
He observed that the institute had the potential and capacity to turn around its fortunes. Alhaji Fuseini said the challenge was for the school to review and expand its curriculum by way of coming up with innovative programmes and courses that would be relevant and marketable in order to generate the needed revenue for infrastructural development.
The initiative is to ensure that products of the school are well abreast of issues concerning the industry.
The Rector of GIJ, Mr David Newton, announced this at the fourth congregation of the institute, which was on the theme: “The Role of Communication in Ghana's emerging oil industry".
He advised Ghanaians not only to think of the economic gains of the industry but also consider the impact of the oil on the environment, including oil spillage, and other concerns such as dangers of pollution and influx of illegal immigrants.
“It is our hope that as new comers in the oil industry, we shall be guided by the lessons and experiences of other countries which are forerunners in the industry," he added.
The congregation, the second after the institute received its charter to award its own degrees, had 120 students graduating with Diploma in Communication Studies.
Miss Winnifred Ashong-Lamptey emerged as the Overall Best Student and received the Best Journalism Student Award.
The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) sponsored her prize comprising a laptop , a set of books and a six-month internship with the GCGL.
Other awards winners were Miss Abla Emefa Adjei ,the Best Professional Student; Mr Francis Kobina Abban, the Best Student in English Language; Miss Regina Asamoah, the Best in Public Relations , Advertising and Marketing.
Mr Newton added that the institute had introduced an exchange programme with both local and foreign universities and institutions to give the necessary exposure to students and lecturers of the school.
He explained that the initiative would lead to a cross-fertilisation of ideas on a wide range of academic activities.
"In order to reach this objective, the institute has established collaboration with UNESCO, the Open Society Initiative of Africa, Kwantlen University in Canada, Rhodes University in South Africa and other international research organisations.
Mr Newton further stated that the institute would, from the next academic year, launch its portal to ensure greater efficiency in checking examination results and online registration of prospective applicants and also improve upon and update the internal systems and the procedures in the institute.
He said as part of the expansion programme, the academic board had recommended the establishment of a social science faculty as a third faculty, adding that new courses such as Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Business and Management Studies would also be rolled out under a review exercise underway.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Major M. S. Tara (retd), in a speech read on behalf of the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo, urged the institute to go beyond official government support and "identify other sources of funding that will complement government’s efforts and accelerate the common agenda to enable it realise its full potential as the foremost centre of communication excellence in the country".
"With the discovery of oil in the economy, GIJ will be expected to be in the vanguard of training more journalists who will be equipped with the tools and nuances of what the new industry brings,” he said.
He, therefore, advised the management of the institute to adopt new strategies and educate future journalists and public relations practitioners to become conversant with the demands of the oil industry and its communication imperatives.
Major Tara urged the graduates to imbibe the virtues of humility and professionalism and avoid the temptation of using short-cuts to riches and fame.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Chairman of GIJ Governing Council, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, made a passionate appeal to all the alumni of the institute to come together and contribute their quota towards the development of the institute.
He observed that the institute had the potential and capacity to turn around its fortunes. Alhaji Fuseini said the challenge was for the school to review and expand its curriculum by way of coming up with innovative programmes and courses that would be relevant and marketable in order to generate the needed revenue for infrastructural development.
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