GIJ@60: 'School needs funds and support’ - Rector

He was speaking at the Grand Durbar to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Ghana Institute of Journalism. The school has been the hub for training journalists and other communication practitioners since its establishment by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in October 1959.

After six decades, GIJ has made a strive in the media space despite the several challenges that the school faces. The increase in population demands a larger space that will accommodate students.

Professor Kwamena-Aidoo called on government to release funds to enable management speed up works at the new site that aims at easing the pressure on the Osu campus.

“Not surprisingly, the student population has exploded. From enrollment of less than one thousand about ten years ago, the total student population has grown exponentially to about 5,000 students today. Imagine what will happen with the introduction of the free SHS.”

In line with the 60th Anniversary celebrations, management have put in place projects that seeks to enhance teaching and learning, this includes the establishment of a Digital Media Hub which will offer training that matches the best programs in journalism and communication worldwide.

Deputy Minister for Communication, George Andah, commended the institute for producing the best journalists and communicators who have facilitated in the nations development. The minister called on management to consider a program that will train students to communicate in a civil way.

“Politician are indeed supposed to have communications as part of their core ambit…there are lot of people who tune off to radio stations because they believe that the political talk is too much or is not civil enough”.

The minister also lauded the initiative for the establishment of Digital Media Hub. He also admonished students to adopt the use of new technologies in their field of work.

GIJ was the first school of journalism established in Sub-Saharan Africa to train journalist who were to play a key role in emancipating Africa from colonialism. This dream of Kwame Nkrumah has lived on till now as the institute can boast of producing the best journalists and communicators.

In 2006, Parliament passed Act 717 to transform the Institute into a degree-awarding tertiary institution. GIJ was again granted a charter in 2009 that enabled them to award its own degrees and diploma.

The 60th Anniversary is under the theme, “Celebrating our past: Inspiring our future”. A Gala Night will be held on Saturday, October 19 at the Round Pavilion, La Trade Fair at 6:00 pm to climax the anniversary and also raise funds for the Institute.