In an exclusive interview with the director of Media Agenda Mr. Madi M.K.Ceesay, who just return from a month long visit, which took him to England and the United States of America said there are prospects for Gambian journalists who want to go for a higher education in the field of journalism. “Some of us have alternatives to providing such opportunities to journalists” said Madi.In this interview Ceesay went in detail describing the successes of the visit, places he visited and those he met. Read on to have a gist of what went on with Madi and those he met.

Plans are already in place to providing courses from a certificate up to a degree level in journalism. The Media Agenda in collaboration with reputable organizations like African Virtual University, Africa Institute for Communication and Development, and Insight Training Center reached an advance level for such.

Asked what the main reason of his trip was , Ceesay said it was one of building relationships with potential partners in the area of training. As you are already aware of the fact that we here in the Gambia are not fortunate to have a formal school where we could go to have our training, therefore it is important that an alternative is provided. When he was questioned as how such training will be made available to the journalists, he said already there is a badge of journalist who is being trained but that training is done through distance learning programme. What this new package will provide is a class-room situation where students will have a face to face learning situation. Meaning that lecturers will be Gambians or based in the country.

Does it mean that you will abandon the distance learning programme? No the two trainings will go side by side. This just to say it’s an expansion. One thing is clear journalists and would be journalists really want to get higher certificates in journalism. It is only proper to provide the opportunities, and that is what Media Agenda is doing.

But already there are plans by government to incorporate a degree programme in the University of the Gambia, so where will that leave you and your plans? There cannot be enough schools to provide education to the general public and beside it will only provide a room for choice and delivery of quality education as there will be chance for monopoly. Go develop countries the world over, you cannot count how many schools they have both private and public. Even countries in the sub-region, you can find a lot of private and public schools in journalism. So it is one of complimentary to what ever who is doing in regards to providing journalism course to Gambians.

Who are you targeting? I am very much aware of the fact that there are a lot of journalists who are in the field who needed training. These journalists I will refer to as matured students. Some of them can go for diploma or even a degree course. Apart from such category there are others who are school leavers who go straight into newsrooms without any form of training. Such can go in for the certificate courses to prepare them for the job and as well for advance courses.

How would you describe your trip which took you to both USA and UK? It is one of success. I have personally made good relationships and that of my organization. In UK I was able to meet Rory Pecks Foundation staff and we had a very useful talk. Due some logistics I was not being able to meet Jonathan of the Foreign office in London but spoke over the phone.

Whiles in the USA, I visited the offices of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) where I had very useful talks with the team of the African desk, Tom Rhodes who is the Program Coordinator, Africa and Mohammed Keita   his assistant also I met with Elisabeth Witchel Journalist Assistance Program Coordinator. You may remember I was in 2006 awarded International Press Freedom Award by the same office and is like I was so happy to revisit that office as the link is still there.

Also I met Professor Stafford Mukasa of the Indiana University who is also the head of the Africa Virtual University pioneering the AVU distance learning programme.At that meeting in New York Sidiki Traore who heads AVU Africa office was in attendance. Media Agenda will receive a consignment of computers and journalism books soon all as a result of the visit, so to conclude I can say the visit was very successful and fruitful.