NUC scribe tasks journalists on knowledge of education sector

By Abbas Aminu Bamalli

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commissi0n (NUC), Prof. Julius Amioba Okojie has called on members of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN), to continue to acquire more knowledge on the sector to enable them report accordingly.

He made the call yesterday in Abuja at a press briefing and lunch organized by the NUC, for ECAN to rub mind and enlighten them on the activities of the commission.

According to him, any reporter to cover the commission, must have vast knowledge of the profession and also the education sector, especially the University Commission, calling on them to increase knowledge of their beats to understand what they are reporting.

In a paper presentation, tagged: “Nigeria and Media Freedom”, the former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA), Dr. Tonnie Iredia said, it is the social responsibility of media

organization to train and re-train its reporters, adding that the social responsibility also permit them to report in such a way that people at the grass root will understand their message.

According to Iredia, most media houses does not practice community journalism, as they always use big grammars that most people at the rural areas cannot understand correctly, the message they are trying to pass.

He disclosed that, only through media houses that people at the grass root will be more enlighten on happenings across their country, calling on the correspondents to ensure the correct discharge of their responsibility, to make peace continue to stay in the country.

Dr. Iredia further said the law of defamation Act 1961 did not permit journalist to tarnish someone’s image in the process of setting agenda to the public, therefore advised them to report according to the laws and ethics of journalism.