Every institution that host at least five or more people should have fire-neutralizing equipment such as fire extinguishers, smoke alarms among others. The is to meet the ISO 13.220.01 Protection Against Fire in General and NAQAA Standards. Most often than not, very few institutions prepare their staff on how to operate such equipment. Cognizant of the importance of having such safety equipment, The Media Academy for Journalism and Communication on Saturday, April 2, 2022 trained its staff and students on how to operate the safety equipment installed at the premises. Present at the training were the academy’s management, administrative and teaching staff as well as students from the various classes enrolled at the academy. Speaking before the commencement of the training, Sang Mendy, Managing Director of the Academy said, the training is timely. He said, the Academy is cognizant of the need to train staff and students on how to operate the fire and safety equipment noting that this might help in saving lives and properties. “Knowing how to neutralize fire when it is at stage one is important in saving lives and properties. This is why we contracted a certified fire trainer to refill and service the fire extinguishers and also to train the staff and students on how to operate them,” Mendy said. The MD, who actively took part in the training, urged the students to share the knowledge and skills gained during the training with their colleagues in the class. The head of MDS Fire and Safety Company, Momodou Camara told participants at the training to make sure they raise an alarm anytime they see fire within the building. He also advised that anytime students and staff to check for the direction of the wind; look out for exit, call for the electricity meter to be switched off, rush to the extinguishers, grab them and apply the skills gathered during the training. While commending MAJaC for organizing such a training, Camara urged management to put signage such as exit doors, high voltage at strategic places and assembling points. The participants carried out some simulation exercise before the end of the training.
The Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJaC) on Tuesday launched a project meant to build the capacity of twelve Civil Society Members and Community Media Staff in web management, public speaking, and other forms of communication. The project dubbed Outreach and Bottom-up: Expanding the Civic Space (OBECS) is funded by Civil Society in Development (CISU) and aimed at boosting the communication skills of CSOs and community media journalists to proactively engage their audience. Mrs. Meita Touray, Project Assistant said the project will empower CSOs with skills to create and sustain interactive radio concepts and content in local languages, develop web and social media platforms, and facilitate meetings with mutual learning with CBOs, all geared towards sustaining and encouraging interactive dialogue with their audience. “The current state of this country Calls for emboldened CSOs. This can only be achieved if organizations and institutions like MAJaC continually build the capacity of CSO members to effectively carry out their roles of holding the Government and its institution to account for their actions and inactions. This is also in line with the primary role of journalism thus the need for including community media in this project so that CSOs can reach out to their target communities using the community media, ” she said. She added that the Academy has over the years built the capacity of many civil society members in different thematic areas including advocacy and the use of digital media. And should be acknowledged for empowering community media staff with knowledge and skills relevant to their work. Mr. Alagie Cham representing the Executing Director of TANGO said civil society organizations are a driving force of successful policy advocacy and implementation in most societies. He said that CSOs and the media can thrive better in a democratically stable country where policies are favorable. He further thanked MAJaC for building the capacity of Gambian CSOs. Muhammed S. Bah, President of the Gambia press union said the project came at a time when the Gambia is experiencing a lot of pending reforms agenda, such as constitutional and legal reform, transitional justice reform, and security sector reform among other reforms that are relevant to the people of the Gambia. “In our world today, which is characterized by absolute social injustice, poverty, corruption, bad governance, and unjust distribution of wealth among other things, I believe the only sectors that can save the people of the world from these man-made menaces are vibrant media and CSOs,” Bah said. Bah further called on CSOs and community media staff to make the best use of the training saying that the knowledge and skill they will acquire will help them in their service to their audience.
The Media Academy for Journalism and Communication with partners last Thursday launched a five-week project to train journalists on ethical journalism. The project is meant to prepare journalists with the required skills and knowledge to do their work without any ethical problems. The training would give participants the skills in making ethical decisions in gathering and reporting their news stories. Speaking at the launch, Samba Bah the acting Managing Director, said MAJaC is experienced in implementing projects ranging from capacity building for civil society organisations, journalists and other media workers. He however urged the participants to take the training seriously. Bah further assured donors that the project will be implemented successfully by virtue of the Institutions experience in implementing projects. Representing the Media Council of the Gambia, Emil Touray former Gambia Press Union President said ethical gaps are often times committed by individuals who spent several years in the media who people think they ought to know better. He said the media must do business seriously in order for the public to take them seriously. However, Touray urged participants to participate in all activities of the training and also make good use of the knowledge they would gain. While encouraging trainers to come up with newspaper stories, audios and videos of some of these ethical challenges done by media practitioners, he encouraged the donors to provide more training on responsible journalism and media law for other journalists. The former GPU President, Touray said there is a need to also build the capacity of people who do not see themselves as journalists but do the work of a journalist as they make a lot of ethical errors. Demba Kandeh, the representative from Freedom House; the donor partners for the project said, the programme is funded by the United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development USAID. He said the number of journalists in the Gambia has increased giving the need for raising awareness on issues of ethical reporting. Kandeh assured that the trainers selected for the training are of competence and are up to the task. While hoping that participants take the training seriously. ‘I believe that journalism is more than reporting and presenting. It is about unifying people and promoting peaceful co existence and this can only be done by being truthful and independent,’ Adama Joof, a participant said The training would equip her with the required principles to guide her profession. She said any knowledge gained from the training would be well utilized in her journalistic works which she believes will make her work standout. The current President of the Gambia Press Union, Muhammed S. Bah was also in attendance and he made similar remarks.
The minister responsible for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Prof. Pierre Gomez, on Wednesday 22nd June 2022 promised to support MAJaC students with scholarships annually. He made the promise during a familiarization tour to Media Academy for Journalism and communication (MAJaC). The higher education minister Said “The Ministry will be giving scholarship packages to your students here every year. MAJaC is like all the other institutions, we cannot be promoting TVET and exclude MAJaC. So, everybody must be given their share because we are here to serve” The higher education minister Pierre Gomez while acknowledging the key role MAJaC is playing in the development trajectory of the country also highlighted his ministry will to contribute hugely in the Academy's future projects. Samba Bah, English Language Trainer and Acting MD said, it was very prudent to have the Minister visit the school as it’s one of the leading journalism training institutions and to abreast him with some of the challenges the school is confronted with. “We need capacity for some of our staff, and most importantly scholarships. We realise that, some of our students find it very difficult to pay their tuition fees and we would like the Minister to facilitate scholarships for some of the students” Mr Bah said. Ndey Ceesay Vice President of the MAJaC Student Union during her remarks highlighted some of the challenge students face. She called on the minister to help in the standardization of the both studios, radio and TV studios at the Academy to ease the burden on students during practical sessions. Ndey also called for support to expand the campus to accommodate more students and make the environment conducive for learning.