Training Journalists in Africa: UNESCO Model Curricula Published
21-08-2002 (Paris)
Communication training in Africa is at the crossroads. Political, social, economic and technological changes, as well as changes in education, and communication systems compel new approaches. UNESCO's now published model curricula for communication training in Africa are taking account of the new context.
"It is evident that communication training in African countries faces a catalogue of problems of which curriculum improvement is only a part" say project coordinator and editor Kwame Boafo and Francis Wete, from the University of Yaounde, in their Introduction to the publication entitled "Communication Training in Africa: Model Curricula" (Paris: UNESCO, 2002) that is now on line available at WebWorld.
Indeed, communication education in Africa, like modern mass communication on the continent, is described as an import from West Europe and North America. The source of inspiration of teachers, curricula and textbooks is Western. Teachers are mostly Western educated, curricula are drawn from Western models and most textbooks are authored and published in the West and North America.
A major shortcoming of communication training in African countries is the shortage of available competent and experienced teachers and trainers. Poor working conditions, especially low salaries, often result in the loss of qualified teachers to the private sector or international organizations.
Other problems associated with communication training on the continent include the foreign origin and inadequacy of textbooks, as well as the shortage of other teaching and training materials.
The content of these publications is, thus, often irrelevant to the social, political, economic and cultural reality in African countries. Besides, the textbooks are insufficient in quantity and variety, partly because of prohibitive costs. Apart from the textbooks, other teaching and training materials including libraries, radio and television studios, photographic laboratories, computers, printing machines and other equipment are rare in many African communication training institutions.
UNESCO, therefore, has developed the model curricula as new benchmarks or standards for training and preparing communication practitioners in Africa.
Indeed, communication education in Africa, like modern mass communication on the continent, is described as an import from West Europe and North America. The source of inspiration of teachers, curricula and textbooks is Western. Teachers are mostly Western educated, curricula are drawn from Western models and most textbooks are authored and published in the West and North America.
A major shortcoming of communication training in African countries is the shortage of available competent and experienced teachers and trainers. Poor working conditions, especially low salaries, often result in the loss of qualified teachers to the private sector or international organizations.
Other problems associated with communication training on the continent include the foreign origin and inadequacy of textbooks, as well as the shortage of other teaching and training materials.
The content of these publications is, thus, often irrelevant to the social, political, economic and cultural reality in African countries. Besides, the textbooks are insufficient in quantity and variety, partly because of prohibitive costs. Apart from the textbooks, other teaching and training materials including libraries, radio and television studios, photographic laboratories, computers, printing machines and other equipment are rare in many African communication training institutions.
UNESCO, therefore, has developed the model curricula as new benchmarks or standards for training and preparing communication practitioners in Africa.
Related themes/countries
· Training of Media Professionals: News Archives 2002
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