Africa Education Journalism Award
Awards Presentation Ceremony

(2002 Winners)Paris, France, 9 September 2002: the ADEA held a ceremony to present the African Education Journalism Awards to the 2002 winners.

The ceremony was attended by 60 people, including the ADEA President, Mr Ahlin Byll Cataria, the ADEA Executive Secretary, Mr Mamadou Ndoye, and members of the Association’s Steering Committee. The ambassadors of the native countries of the prize winners (Benin, Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria) were also invited, as well as representatives of the various awards partners, including UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), Le Monde de l’éducation, Radio France Internationale, and the Times Education Supplement.

In his welcoming address, the Executive Secretary emphasized the need for a genuine partnership between the press and education ministers and the crucial role journalists play in covering educational issues. Mr Ndoye pointed out that, “in light of the information the media provides, the opinions it shapes and the values it promotes, it can be said to be an integral part of the educational system. This gives journalists a responsibility to educate society and different communities.”

Mr Akin Fotoyinbo, coordinator of the Communication for Education and Development programme (COMED), which is the framework for the award, reviewed the project goals, which focus in particular on encouraging journalists to stimulate discussion about education in Africa. Ms. Thanh Hoa Desruelles, communication officer, ADEA, announced the results for 2002. Some 112 journalists from 22 African countries took part in the competition, with a total of 260 articles submitted.

The ADEA President, Mr Ahlin Byll Cataria, congratulated the winners and encouraged them to intensify their efforts to cover issues related to education. He then handed out the awards.

The Winners

For the French language press, the winners were:

- 1st Prize - Rose Akakpo, from Benin, for her article, “Revaloriser la fonction enseignante” (“Raising the Prestige of Teaching”), which » appeared in Le Point au quotidien of Cotonou;

- 2nd Prize - Didier Semanyenzi, from Rwanda, for his article “La non scolarisation des filles au Rwanda n’est pas un mythe” (“The Non-Enrolment of Girls in Rwanda is Not a Myth”), which appeared in La Nouvelle Relève of Kigali.

For the English language press, the winners were:

- 1st Prize - Bukola Olatunji, from Nigeria, for her article “How far can a meal go?”, which appeared in The Comet of Lagos;

- 2nd Prize - John Eremu, from Uganda, for his article “Is your certificate genuine or forged?”, which appeared in The New Vision of Kampala.

The First Prize winners received cash awards of 2000 euros, and the Second Prize winners 1000 euros. The winners and their editors-in-chief have also been invited to take part in a study trip to Paris, London and Washington, DC.

The African Education Journalism Award was launched by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) within the framework of the Communication for Education and Development programme (COMED), in partnership with the WANAD Centre. It recognizes the best articles on education in African written by African journalists and published in the African press. The main objectives of the awards are:

- To promote communication and discussion about education in the African countries;

- To stimulate the production of articles on education in the press;

- To foster the development of a network of African journalists who specialize in covering issues specific to education;

- To use the media to develop strong public support for education.

About the COMED program

ADEA’s COMED program was implemented with the support of the World Bank and is financed partly by the Norwegian Education Trust Fund. The idea underlying the COMED program is that, in order to develop effective education systems and quality education for all, it is essential to promote the exchange of information and communications among all those involved.

In light of the key role of the media in disseminating information, the COMED program gives special importance to training African journalists who are interested in covering issues related to education and development. Since 1999, more than 120 journalists and communications specialists from 30 countries have taken part in COMED workshops.

About ADEA

ADEA was founded in 1988 to promote cooperation among development agencies working in the field of education in Africa. The association has evolved into an organisation that aims to strengthen the leadership capacities of the African education ministries in their relations with donors and to develop a consensus between ministries of education and agencies with regard to the major issues that education confronts in Africa.

ADEA activities are focused on promoting policy dialogue among the development partners. ADEA also seeks to strengthen institutional capacities in Africa by developing technical skills, setting up networks for the exchange of information and sharing successful experiences with strategies, innovations and projects.

Paris, France, 9 September 2002