Educational journalism contest is on
Dec 01, 2002
AFRICAN education journalists have been given an opportunity to line their pockets and earn a tour of the major western cities, rubbing shoulders with executives of media houses and other policy makers.
By John Eremu in Asmara
AFRICAN education journalists have been given an opportunity to line their pockets and earn a tour of the major western cities, rubbing shoulders with executives of media houses and other policy makers.
The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) has invited journalists to participate in the 2003 version of the African Education Journalism Award.
Launching the competition in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, ADEA Executive Secretary, Mamadou Ndoye, highlighted the need to build national consensus on educational issues through dialogue.
“African education policy makers have a responsibility to provide the media access to information they must have to create awareness and stimulate public debate,†Ndoye said at the ceremony that coincided with the second international conference on Early Childhood Development (ECD).
Eritrean Education Minister Osman Saleh, who officially declared the competition open, stressed the importance of the media as a key partner in the promotion of education policies and programmes. He called on all African journalists to participate in the competition.
The award, organised by ADEA within the framework of the World Bank-funded Communication for Education and Development (COMED) programme, recognises the best articles on education in Africa written by African journalists and published in the African press. COMED programme manager, Akin Fatoyinbo attended the launching ceremony at Hotel Inter-continental.
An international jury of eight senior educators and journalists judge the entries. The judges then select the best four articles, two in English and two in French. The winners bag a cash prize of 2000 euros, while the runners up get 1000 euros each. The winners and their editors-in-chief are then invited for study tours to Paris and London.
Bukola Olatunji of This Day newspaper of Nigeria and John Eremu of The New Vision, Uganda, scooped the 2002 first and second prizes respectively. Articles for the 2003 competition should be submitted by April 15 next year.
One of the jurists, Prof. Alfred Opubor, said the competition will in the near future be extended to radio journalists. He said the radio was one of the major media of information dissemination in rural areas.
The Africa Education Journalism Award was established by ADEA in 2001 to promote quality reporting of educational issues by African media. The Award recognises the essential role journalists can play as providers of information, and as educators and analysts.
It seeks to encourage African journalists to write well-researched articles on education with a view to fostering informed public debate on education in African countries. The award also aims at encouraging African media houses to publish regular columns or supplements on education, which is key to development.
Further information on the competition can be obtained from the ADEA website: www.ADEAnet.org or Thanh-Hoa Desruelles, Publications and Communication Officer, ADEA, 7-9, rue Eugene Delacroix, 75116, +33/ (0)14503 7769, Paris or Akin Fatoyinbo, Senior Communication Specialist, World Bank, Cotonou: +229/31 21 24.
AFRICAN education journalists have been given an opportunity to line their pockets and earn a tour of the major western cities, rubbing shoulders with executives of media houses and other policy makers.
The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) has invited journalists to participate in the 2003 version of the African Education Journalism Award.
Launching the competition in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, ADEA Executive Secretary, Mamadou Ndoye, highlighted the need to build national consensus on educational issues through dialogue.
“African education policy makers have a responsibility to provide the media access to information they must have to create awareness and stimulate public debate,†Ndoye said at the ceremony that coincided with the second international conference on Early Childhood Development (ECD).
Eritrean Education Minister Osman Saleh, who officially declared the competition open, stressed the importance of the media as a key partner in the promotion of education policies and programmes. He called on all African journalists to participate in the competition.
The award, organised by ADEA within the framework of the World Bank-funded Communication for Education and Development (COMED) programme, recognises the best articles on education in Africa written by African journalists and published in the African press. COMED programme manager, Akin Fatoyinbo attended the launching ceremony at Hotel Inter-continental.
An international jury of eight senior educators and journalists judge the entries. The judges then select the best four articles, two in English and two in French. The winners bag a cash prize of 2000 euros, while the runners up get 1000 euros each. The winners and their editors-in-chief are then invited for study tours to Paris and London.
Bukola Olatunji of This Day newspaper of Nigeria and John Eremu of The New Vision, Uganda, scooped the 2002 first and second prizes respectively. Articles for the 2003 competition should be submitted by April 15 next year.
One of the jurists, Prof. Alfred Opubor, said the competition will in the near future be extended to radio journalists. He said the radio was one of the major media of information dissemination in rural areas.
The Africa Education Journalism Award was established by ADEA in 2001 to promote quality reporting of educational issues by African media. The Award recognises the essential role journalists can play as providers of information, and as educators and analysts.
It seeks to encourage African journalists to write well-researched articles on education with a view to fostering informed public debate on education in African countries. The award also aims at encouraging African media houses to publish regular columns or supplements on education, which is key to development.
Further information on the competition can be obtained from the ADEA website: www.ADEAnet.org or Thanh-Hoa Desruelles, Publications and Communication Officer, ADEA, 7-9, rue Eugene Delacroix, 75116, +33/ (0)14503 7769, Paris or Akin Fatoyinbo, Senior Communication Specialist, World Bank, Cotonou: +229/31 21 24.