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GPA calls for strengthening of UG communications programme
– tells govt ‘Media Academy’ should not be a standalone organisation
Kaieteur News – On Tuesday, the Government unveiled what it dubbed as its “groundbreaking” online Guyana Media and Communication Academy where free education will be offered to media practitioners locally and in the diaspora.
President of the Guyana Press Association, Nazima Raghubir
However, President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir said that the body does not support the idea of the entity being a “standalone” organisation, but suggested instead, that the government channel its efforts to boost the existing Centre for Communication Studies at the University of Guyana (UG), where recognised credits can be issued. She explained, “The University of Guyana for its part we feel should make adequate provision for the training of technical and engineering personnel in all areas of broadcasting…for too long this category of media workers have been left on the sidelines where training opportunities are concerned. As much as GPA welcomes training, we do not support the idea of the Guyana Media and Communication Academy as a standalone entity.”
As such, Raghubir said that the GPA would like to see that the resources for this academy be directed into strengthening the UG Centre for Communication Studies, where tertiary recognized credits can be awarded. “We support the intent of continuous training and the GPA stands ready and willing to endorse and provide such training through the established and accredited University of Guyana,” the GPA President posited.
In September 2020, the Ministry of Education signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Public Service and the Private Sector Commission to recognize the certificates earned by students who completed online courses via the Commonwealth of Learning and Coursera. It is unclear at the moment whether the certificates of completion are recognized in other parts of the region or world.
Nevertheless, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy shared that the facility has been in the making for several months. He noted that the online academy will bridge the learning gaps that must be addressed to help the country flourish.
The Guyana Media and Communication Academy will be available to all media practitioners, at the various levels of the media spectrum. McCoy explained that the government will be funding the courses which will be facilitated through Coursera. To access the training platform, the Minister said annual licences will be provided to interested persons which will be funded by the government. “Those licences will allow you to pursue selections from among more than 2000 world class courses at various levels of certification from leading partner universities in the world, including Ivy League Institutions,” he pointed out. According to him, “What started out as an active consideration for the establishment of a broadcasting academy as was intimated in my 2021 Budget speech in the National Assembly, has evolved wholesomely into what will be the ground breaking Guyana Media and Communication Academy, a virtual academy that works in the interest of our media practitioners.”
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