Concord Times (Freetown)
Sayoh Kamara
5 March 2010
Freetown — For the first time in the 38-year history of SLAJ, the association this week started a comprehensive training needs assessment of journalists in the country. The first phase of the programme kicked-off yesterday at the conference hall of SLAJ headquarters in Freetown and continues today March 3.
This stage of the assessment will train twelve research assistants, all of them journalists, who will work with expert researchers that have been provided by the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) for a nationwide training needs survey. Each of the country's four geographical areas will send three journalists for this week's training who will help the experts when they start the survey proper in the coming weeks.
"The needs assessment, which has been at the heart of my executive, is aimed at pinpointing the required training needs of journalists so as to enable SLAJ come up with the requisite and comprehensive blueprint on what type of training is needed for media practitioners," said SLAJ president, Umaru Fofana.
He said the idea of institutions coming up with perceived and second-guessed trainings for journalists had not adequately enhanced their skills; something he said needed to be redirected. The media training needs assessment is almost entirely funded by NMJD, a local civil society advocacy organization.
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