A new chapter in journalism

By Sandun A. Jayasekera  

The Mass Media Ministry is in the process of establishing a Mass Media Higher Education, Research and Training Institute with the objective of producing Chartered Journalists of Sri Lanka, Mass Media Minister Dulles Alahapperuma said.  

Having served as a career journalist before entering to politics, he said he was extremely happy to initiate this highly important project for the development of journalism in Sri Lanka and also to bring journalism on par with global journalism which would be a paradigm shift of journalism in Sri Lanka.  

According to a proposal made to the government by Minister Alahapperuma, the aim of the establishment of a state-sponsored institution was to identify the problems in the field of journalism and to promote and maintain high standards in the field of media education in accordance with local and international academic standards.  
Although there are a significant number of students studying journalism, especially in schools, high quality educational institutions have not yet been established to meet the requirement.  

“There are several degree programmes in mass communication in the university system, but it has been observed that these courses do not provide sufficient practical knowledge for creating a professional journalist. Accordingly, the cabinet of ministers approved the proposal presented by the Mass Media Minister to establish the Institute of Chartered Journalists of Sri Lanka as an Institute of Media Higher Education, Research and Training which can provide undergraduate and postgraduate level study opportunities in the subject of Mass Media,” Minister Alahapperuma stressed.  

The purpose of the institute is to provide practical training to journalists, media managers who are already working in the field of journalism as well as schoolchildren who aspire to enter the field of journalism and to develop their capabilities, enhance their professionalism and create a media culture with ethical autonomy, he added.