Isaac Kimaka
6 July 2009
Kampala — Makerere University's Department of Mass Communication will hold celebrations to mark their twentieth anniversary on Saturday, July 12. Theirs has been a remarkable journey in the pursuit of professional journalism. Makerere was the first unversity in East and Central Africa to offer a degree in Mass Communication when the department was opened in the Faculty of Arts in August 1988.
Dr Abbas Kiyimba, the Faculty of Arts deputy dean, was an assistant lecturer in the Department of Literature when the idea of starting a Mass Communication department was conceived. "I am lucky to be one of the few who were around when the idea of Mass Communication was developed. The idea started in 1983 when an American professor of journalism visited Makerere, " Dr Kiyimba says. "He wanted to know whether journalism was taught at Makerere and by then it was only the literature department that taught journalism related subjects - The Art of Communication where we taught newspaper writing and communication."
The visiting academician felt that the training was inadequate and asked Prof Timothy Wangusa, who headed the literature department to push the then Vice Chancellor Prof Asavia Wandira for a new course. The programme started with only twenty students who were selected basing on their intellectual ability.
Dr George Lugalambi, who now heads the department, Mr Ignie Igundura of Civil Aviation Authority and Mr Vincent Musubire, who is the deputy principle private secretary in the Vice President's office, were some of the pioneer students. Mass Communication became a full department in 1995.
20 years down the road, the course has 400 undergraduate students using virtually the same facilities as those available in 1988. DFCU Marketing Manager Susan Nkugwa Nsibirwa, who was a student in the 1989/90 class says the quality of learning was very good because they could get the attention of lecturers. "In our times, people applied for the course when they really loved it but now, students just apply because they have the points and that's why you find most of them doing things outside journalism when they finish," she says.
The one advantage current students have over their predecessors, is access to computers. Whereas students now use them to type course work, and have access to the the Internet, pioneers of the course relied on type writers and relied mostly on the library to research for information. "I enjoyed the course. I remember the sound of the type writers in our room, now the students are using computers. It is really different now. I am glad the course survived," Ms Nsibirwa said.
Dr Lugalambi, the first substantive head of department says the department has a bright future in which it envisages specialised training for different media professionals. "We hope to start an independent Mass Communication house where we hope to start admitting students on specific programmes other than admitting in general. If someone wants to join mainstream journalism, they will be admitted specifically for print. We also want to start involving our alumni in development," he said.
The department also introduced a Masters programme with 20 full time students. To ensure better training, the department set up a community radio, Campus FM 107 to train students in radio production and presenting, while print students run Ivorypost, an online newspaper. However, some alumni argue that a little has been done to ensure quality professionalism.
"There have been changes in the curriculum but there's is limited practice in the course especially in print. The radio is also in a mess and I don't think there is anything serious that takes place there. The department should focus more on practice than theory because that's what is in the field," said Mr Mwesigye Gumisiriza a former student. Anniversary celebrations are to be followed by the Annual Media Convention slated for July 19 at Serena Hotel.
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