The event, characterised by march past by students started at West field to MAjaC School campus in Fajara.
The three-day event will showcase a variety of events from sports to debates, news presentation, among a host of others.
Established in 2010, MAJAC within its short span, has trained and honed the skills of many young journalists, some of whom are manning top positions in the country’s media landscape and communication industry. The school is committed to enhancing quality journalism and communication by building and nurturing critical minds for the rapidly growing world of Journalism and communication.
Sang Mendy, Managing Director of MAjaC, gave a rundown of the institution’s role and mandate, saying it was created to strengthen democracy in The Gambia by producing journalists, media development workers, advocacy workers to go out there and hold the government accountable for their actions and inactions.
Mendy indicated that over a short period of time the institution has produce people that are working in government to strengthen communication, editors, producers, people working in media development and media advocacy.
“We have produce journalist that are day-in-day out holding the government accountable by writing critical stories that are meant for the people, stories that fight for people, stories that call on the government to look at what the people lives are.”
In his overview of the institution, MD Mendy said the academy started in 2010 where he was a student, adding they had only one class in 2013.
“We had another one class and we were able to produce 22 people that are working in the media.”
Between 2015 and 2018, he said, the school has grown rapidly to becoming a school that would produce people en masse.
‘Today we have over 200 students that is an achievement for the media.”
For her part, Fatou Camara, proprietor Fatu Network, urged the students not to rush as the opportunity that they have is different from what it used to be in the past.
“What makes you a good journalist is credibility. I started journalism in 1994 when I received seven hundred fifty dalasis when I was at GRTS.”
“There is no money in the media. Everything was tough and all the media owners are struggling to buy equipment and to pay staff. Sometimes the amount of tax sent to you is in the millions.” she stated.
Muhammed S. Bah, President Gambia Press Union (GPU) reminded young journalists to be always on top of issues and know what their roles are as journalists, further underscoring the importance and power of the media.
