Information ministry to consult on post graduate journalism school

PIC: The Minister of Information and ICT, Frank Tumwebaze.Photo/Solomon Kalema

The Ministry of Information, ICT and Communication is set to consult with, among other stakeholders, the universities  and media practitioners' associations on a proposed post graduate school for journalism.

This was hinted on by the minister, Frank Tumwebaze, who was opening the sixth conference of the East African Communications Association (EACA) at the Grand Global Hotel in Kampala on Friday.

"We are planning to put in place a school like the Law Development Centre that the lawyers have. But before we do that, we will consult you," Tumwebaze said.

Proposal in the offing

The proposal for this school was first made by former Information Minister Jim Muhwezi in 2015 and picked up this year by the current.

In defending the necessity of the school, Tumwebaze said that it would ease the regulation of the media practitioners.

"We have journalists on radio, television and print who have not been through the training institutions like the journalism Department of Makerere. So this school would give them on-job training," he said.

Tumwebaze said that this school of journalism would give such practitioners what he described as a basic minimum package on journalism.

But before the proposal is finally enacted, Tumwebaze said that the Ministry will engage as many stake holders as possible and later seek the consideration of Parliament and the cabinet.

"We will have a school based on what you deem right," he said.

Tumwebaze was speaking as guest of honour at the conference put together by the Makerere University College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Journalism department of Uganda Christian University Mukono which was represented by Prof Monica Chibita, the Head.