The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has offered to support the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in the advancement of higher education in the Ghanaian broadcasting industry in particular and the media in general.

Consequently, the GETFund will, under a memorandum of understanding signed last year with the Ohio University, USA, provide opportunities for broadcast journalists to improve their professional standards under a long-term relationship of educational co-operation and exchange.

The MoU was signed by the Administrator of the GETFund, Mr Fosuaba Mensah Banahene, the President of the Ohio University, Dr Roderick McDavis, and the Dean of the College of Communications of the University, Dr Gregory J. Shepherded.

A statement signed by the General Secretary of the GJA, Mr. Bright Blewu, said under the agreement, there would be a Masters programme in Telecommunications, a pre-programme internship, research and education abroad programmes.

It said under the Masters in Telecommunication programme at the Ohio University, the GJA, in consultation with the GETFund, would nominate up to six broadcasting professionals each year for the one-year programme.

The statement said the GETFund would provide each nominee with a one-year stipend of not less than the established Ohio University minimum for graduate assistantship, plus sufficient funds to cover air fare, living expenses, books, insurance, as well as orientation and general technology fees.

It said the Ohio University would provide tuition scholarships for the admitted students, adding that the number of students supported in any given year would depend on the capacity of the School of Telecommunications and the Ohio University to support them.

The statement said under the pre-programme internship, the Ohio University would among other things, arrange summer pre-programme internship with Ohio television and radio stations for Ghanaian broadcasting professionals admitted to the Masters programme.

For the research programme, the GETFund and the Ohio University would work to foster research on broadcasting and the media in Ghana and West Africa. That would include encouraging partnership between broadcasting professionals in Ghana and other graduate students.

The statement said the MoU would be in effect for a period of five years subject to a comprehensive review by the GETFund and the Ohio University, after which it might be continued unchanged, modified or terminated.

Source: Daily Graphic