The General Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Albert Kofi Owusu, has raised concerns about the preparedness of journalism graduates for today’s rapidly evolving media environment, calling for stronger integration of modern technology into training programmes.
He questioned whether current journalism curricula are equipping students for today’s newsroom realities or preparing them for outdated media systems that no longer exist.
Speaking at the Africa Media Bureau Media Convergence in Ghana event themed ‘The Future of Media Practice, Education and Policy in Ghana,’ he noted that journalism training previously focused heavily on writing and on-the-job learning, where graduates were employed mainly for their ability to produce stories and later trained in newsroom practices such as radio presentation.
However, he said the current media landscape demands a different approach, where students graduate with practical digital and technological skills already in place.
“We need to have graduates who already have these attributes before they leave school,” he said, stressing the importance of early exposure to modern tools.
He acknowledged that some institutions have introduced internships lasting about six months, but argued that this is not enough to fully prepare students for industry demands.
According to him, there is a need to embed new technologies into journalism training from the outset so that graduates become immediately employable and adaptable upon completion of their studies.
Mr Owusu also admitted that GNA has been slow in adapting to technological changes but said the agency is now prioritising applicants who are skilled in modern media tools.
“We are looking at people who are at the forefront of using these technologies,” he added.
