OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies has graduated 63 students at its 4th Graduation ceremony held at the institution’s premises at Asawasi in the Asokore Mampong municipal in the Ashanti region.
The ceremony was held on Sunday, July 10, 2022, and was under the theme “Ensuring Responsible Journalism: The Role of Media Training Institutions”, with the students receiving diplomas for the 2 year course which focuses on skills development and helping young people acquire skills that will enable them to obtain employment and maximize their potential in life.
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The Director of Education for Obuasi East Educational Directorate of the Ashanti region, Kwabena Owusu-Nketia, in his speech, asked the graduands to be responsible journalists by observing the tenets of the profession.
“Be accurate, fair and complete as far as possible. Be honest and carry out your responsibility with honour and do your work without any fear or partisanship. You should maintain the quality of your reportage at the highest standard, this will build and strengthen your credibility” he said.
“Have a responsibility towards your readers and always maintain the highest standards of journalism, accept criticisms with open mind, correct and learn from your mistakes, recheck your facts for accuracy and avoid assumptions,” Mr Owusu-Nketia added.
The educationist advised them to prepare to accept any challenges that may come their ways as a result of change, grab good opportunities and make differences wherever they find themselves to fulfill their needs and desires.
A Media practitioner, Gabriel Amoah, who was the guest speaker, acknowledged the contribution made by the school in its inception in 2004 by producing quality media personnel throughout Ghana, and still continues to be the epitome of producing superior media contents and journalists.
Mr Amoah, who is the Press Secretary to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah, entreated the media training institutions to ensure that they provide the kind of educational contents that will shape the mindsets of the students to compete on the job market.
He noted that most media institutions focus on much effort on Disc Jockeying, Sports Presentation, Akan News Presentation among others without appropriate training with knowledge and skills to write accurate, fair, balance and impartial stories.
“Students can only thrive when they have the ability to analyze, write creatively, thinks intelligently and act professionally in the quest to compete for job placements and to minimize harm in the field of the job” he stated.
The Principal of Otec School of Journalism and Communication Studies, Mr Matthew Donkor, in his address said the school is running a two (2) Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies and is affiliated with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), formally NABPTEX.
He revealed that the school has also initiated all the desirable processes for getting accreditation from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), formally National Accreditation Board (NAB) and all the requirements and documentation have been submitted.
Mr Donkor noted that the school which started with ten (10) students in 2004 has produced hundreds of prominent and well equipped journalist who are performing creditably in the various media institution countrywide.
For the graduating students, he said “the sector needs you more than ever and I feel confident and more relaxed knowing that, as a well-trained OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies’ grandaunts you will continue to be at the Centre of exceptional solutions for the building of a good journalism environment in the society,”.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/
