The
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) purportedly signed between the Gambia Press
Union and the School of Journalism and Digital Media, University of The Gambia
and which unjustifiably discriminate its own former students, is highly
unacceptable and a separatist move.
The
previous students of the Professional Reporter Diploma Program have transcended
beyond all doubts to make themselves not only the first trained Gambian
journalists under the GPU, but also the best to have undergone any such
training.
The
program to be later qualified as an advanced diploma was a two-year intensive
course. The 12 students who progressed through sea and mountain, were certified
and continue to tirelessly work in our media fraternity using their expertise
to make us all proud of their 24 months adventure. Some of them are editors,
instructors and some made their ways to the UTG and other institutions
contributing to national development and the advancement of our national media
landscape particularly. The students who have been admitted under what could be
seen as very outstanding natural selection methods, are still some of those
best brains any union would do everything to support in their professional
aspirations. To have those people fallaciously segregated in the MoU is both
unfair and self-defeating for the institutions involved and for the general
goodness of the nation.
I
write my grievances not only as a friend or colleague but most importantly as a
Gambian. I vehemently believe our national progress is paused by some of these
transcendental nonsense. To deliberately exclude the PRDP from this gallant
opportunity will be counterproductive especially for the GPU who has
demonstrated nothing but oblivion for what they called a success today. I would
expect the PRDP students to be the main benefactors of this MoU. I did not get
it wrong, it was a foul played by SJDM and co-authored by the GPU.
According
to the key MoU against which I write, “… is for the SJDM to allow students graduating
with a diploma from the GPU J-School into the second and third year
respectively pending they meet the entry requirements of the University of The
Gambia.” That statement is irrationally conjured and unjustifiable under the
very conditions the GPU and the UTG rightfully should know. The MoU would have
solicited different voices including those it intentionally worked against
today, before it is signed and proclaimed worthy of celebration (for those who
do not know the bigger picture.)
But,
what is really behind this so-called MoU? To start with, the first batch of the
GPU School of Journalism had had 2 years intensive course (some with even four
years’ experience when they joined.) Now, the MoU straightforwardly without
neither consultation nor convincing points to make those PRDP graduates feel
represented. I am genuinely annoyed for
what I consider an irrational behaviour in both academic and economic sense of
the MoU. To accept the new students who are going to spend one year or less for
and advanced diploma might be understandable, but will be unforgivable for
restricting the former graduates from the MoU. Because the MoU is either
enunciating that the Advanced Diploma earned by the previous batch is
substandard than the one foreseen or, it is just another managerial
incompetence of our bureaucratic DNA. Yet, we cannot ignore the foolish nature
of such agreements; they are not natural laws nor are they fixed and binding.
Therefore,
without any iota of doubt, I challenge the UTG and the GPU to revisit their
drawing board and do what actually has to be done. Such an MoU voices out what
we must all endeavour to avoid in our daily institutional discrepancies.
If
the MoU is motivated by a national agenda, why exclude the PRDP batch? If it follows another FTI paradigm, it would
do better by including this group of devoted and outstanding professionals who
have spent 2 good years for the same diploma that now weigh inconsistently. But
until then, the MoU is an unjustifiable discrimination that might hunt us for
long. We must start to solve our problems by facing them as they are rather
than ignoring them. We cannot wish to solve our problems by temporally ignoring
them.
Let’s
look at it this way for the perfect sense of dispute resolution. Both the
excluded and the included are nationals of the Gambia and have shown their
desires to further their professional interests to the UTG. The excluded (PRDP
graduates) have demonstrated their willingness and academic potentials to
undergo a degree program in journalism at the UTG after SUCCESSFULLY completely
the Advanced Diploma Programme (now reduced to less than 1 year or so). From
this picture, (excluding all the expenses that the GPU and its sponsors must
have taken to make it what we are all unanimously proud of toady as the GPU
School of Journalism,) it will be nonchalant to be oblivious of those PRDP
graduates who have sacrificed their time and resources to crossed the sea and
climbed the mountain at both personal and collective levels to make the school
of journalism come true. Prof. Irmelin
Mei Vegas must be gravely disappointed in her grave for what I genuinely
believe will be seen by her as a gross injustice after all her personal efforts
to let the GPU to this level. She is one professor I will never forget and
shall always be proud of. Rest in Peace Prof. Irmelin Mei Vegas.
What
do we have to celebrate about this MoU if those who led to the success story
are neglected?
And,
readers be informed that I am deliberately using every word and construction
here, if I am found naughty, I will bear the consequences. I know very little
about the GPU to unfoundedly alleged them of anything, but I will not surrender
my intention to fight what seems to me as a brutal injustice. I will have to
appear if need be, before the national courts to settle the matter and
establish the right playing cards for all. The UTG School of Journalism can no
doubts have their own admission criteria, but it will be biased if people who
have fulfilled all the requirements of the GPU for 2 years can just be absurdly
ignored and nothing whatsoever is done about it to make them covered in the
MoU.
For
the PRDP graduates to have to undergo another 4 years of instruction for a
degree in Journalism after all what they’ve underwent, can at best be seen as
the lack of transparency and effort to reward the right individuals for their
rightful achievements. To exclude the PRDP from this MoU is outrageous and bad
for the nation. It does not matter even if it affects only 15 capable people
who still work in journalism or other national and personal adventures. The
resources the UTG will need for these people if they are included in the MoU,
would be less expensive and more of national interest.
The
UTG and the GPU will better enhance their academic and professional aspirations
if they should consider the PRDP graduates. To add another 4 years to what
these people have already accomplished will be contrary to any FTI approach or
any developmental agenda as much as my stupid brain is concern. The last thing
I will do is to discourage such people from achieving their true potentials and
dreams but, as much as I know these colleagues of mines such an MoU is
foresight killing for those unlawfully discriminated.
The
GPU and the UTG need to strongly come out and justify beyond what I can imagine
and take as irrational towards the good of those our brothers and sisters
affected by this so-called MoU and how
this will hunt our national identity.
