GIJ replies Bridget Otoo; ‘Be proud of GIJ’ [VIDEO]

The Deputy Rector of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), Prof Eric Opoku Mensah has asked graduates of higher education institutions to constantly contribute to their alma mater.

He said many old students tend to focus attention on their secondary schools than their tertiary institutions.

“When you leave school, no matter how small the infrastructure was, if it becomes big, it becomes part of your pride. So some of us were saddened when we noted in the news, a few days ago, the story from Bridget Otoo, who claims to be an Alumna of GIJ, and argued that when she was here she did not get a good foundation and that the foundation she was given was ‘crap’. I felt she had shot herself…,” Prof Opoku Mensah said.

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“All of us, what we learned in school and what we have become today, it is not our school that trained us 100 percent, but the school certainly gives you a platform. Right now, if you pull your GIJ certificate, if even you’ve gone ahead to learn at Harvard, everything will crumble down because GIJ is the foundation, so you cannot, and all of us don’t get everything that we want to know in school.”

The Deputy Rector of GIJ, Prof Eric Opoku Mensah was speaking when the 2001 Year Alumni group donated some books to the institute last Friday (November 19, 2021) at the North Dzorwulu campus in Accra.

“So I am happy that in addition to what we have, both here [new campus at North Dzorwulu] and at the old site [Osu], you have thought it wise, in kind to add to our stock,” he added.

PHOTO: Prof. Eric Opoku Mensah (left), Deputy Rector of GIJ, receiving a copy of the books from Henrietta Nortey-Nartey, a member of the GIJ 2001 Alumni Year group. Also in the picture is Mr Enoch Darfah Frimpong (extreme right) and other members of the group. Naomi Chartey (3rd right), Lydia Nyantakyi-Baah (4th left), GIJ Senior Librarian, Raymond Larbie (2nd left) and Leonel Lamkai Lawson (extreme left).

Donation

The donation was to help augment the collection of books in the institute’s library and help students in their studies.

Led by Mr Enoch Darfah Frimpong, who is also the Assistant Online Editor at Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), the year group donated books such as “The Art of Public Speaking,” “Understanding Political Institutions", “Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction” and “Advertising, Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing.”

Receiving the books, Prof Opoku Mensah emphasized the need for alumni to come together to support their alma mater.

“I think that what we should do where there are some capacity issues lacking is to constantly contribute in one way or the other to grow and strengthen the institution,” he said.

He said many old students tend to focus attention on their secondary schools instead of their tertiary institutions and therefore commended the 2001-year group’s gesture.

Be proud of GIJ

Prof. Mensah urged all Alumni to be proud of their school, adding that, “it is important that what you have become, or what you become should be largely credited to a school because if you take out our certificates, so far as our first-degree certificates are concerned, technically you are removing your very foundation.”

“So, I am worried that anybody will make very disparaging remarks about his or her school. It is not the best of things a person could say in public. And I think that, what we should do if we feel there are capacity issues still lacking, we should constantly contribute in one way or the other.”

Related: I left GIJ and couldn't even write a single report - Bridget Otoo

“Even Harvard and the MITs of the world where they have reached so far as the pinnacle of learning is concerned, Alumni still go back and contribute… rather than step out there in the media and say things which do not necessarily reflect the current situation in their institutions. GIJ is on the move, and we are very proud of the products we have trained who are manning all the various media outlets in this country. If they all passed through GIJ and they are doing well, then certainly, this institution has made its mark.”

GIJ is still on the move

He said GIJ was still on the move and that university education has changed and communication training institutions in Ghana are expanding and being the first institution [GIJ] established by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah to train human capital for the media field, “it is high time we took our rightful place. Now there are a lot of competition both in Accra and even in the north where they are all starting communication programmes.

Even KNUST has started communication studies… so that competition is there and we have to do what we need to do as an institution.”

Read also: GIJ to start MPhil, PhD programmes

New programmes

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he said GIJ will start a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme next academic year to help train more lecturers for teaching and research in media studies.

The institute also intends to add a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme once the MPhil programme gets underway.

On the introduction of the MPhil and PhD programmes, Prof. Mensah explained that it was a need that ought to be satisfied by the institute, which was aimed at training human resources for the media field.

“So all alumni who intend to get back into the teaching profession so far as media studies is concerned should look back to GIJ next year,” he stated.

The deputy rector called on other year groups to get on board to contribute to the growth of the institute.

GIJ, which is a premier university specialised in communication courses and founded by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah in October 1959 currently offers Master of Arts (MA) programmes in Public Relations, Journalism, Media Management, and Development Communication. There are first degree and diploma programmes also in Journalism and Public Relations.

Librarian

Senior Librarian of GIJ, Madam Lydia Nyantakyi-Baah expressed gratitude for the kind gesture and commended the efforts of the 2001-Alumni year group.

She mentioned that the donation done by the 2001 alumni would serve as a call to the other year groups to also help the school.

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh