Give your students practical training, editor urges varsity

The Editor, Blueprint Weekend, Abdulrahman Abdulrauf, has tasked the Mass Communication Department of Kogi State University, Anyigba, to impact on their students practical aspects of journalism.

Abdulrauf said this during an interaction with some students of the institution on industrial training at the newspapers’ head office, Abuja.

While randomly questioning the students, the editor discovered they lacked practical training and experience from their school.

Abdulrauf, who noted that the students were still living with the classroom mentality, informed the students that their natural and present environment was a news keg to them as there were so many things happenings in the society.

He advised the students on the need to break the walls and learn outside the classroom setting, while also making proper use of their three-month training at the organisation.

While encouraging the students to avail themselves of the opportunities available to them, he urged them to endeavour to relate with their senior colleagues in order to be properly tutored on the rudiments of practical journalism.

“Be ready to learn and be prepared to tap a lot from your senior colleagues. Feel free to walk up to them; they are always ready and willing to put you through.

“By the time you are leaving this place you should have nothing less than 10 published items; be it news story, features, or opinion. In fact, you can even have four published items in a week, depending on the level of your seriousness. So, you need to challenge yourselves and that is the best way to get the best out of the organisation. Write and I can assure you that you will always get published.

“From my little interaction with you, I can safely conclude you are yet to be properly taken through the practical aspect of journalism. In this regard, your department needs to do more so that you don’t get to know what and how writing a news story for newspaper publication is only when you are in a media house.

“That is not good for you as well as your school.  They must take you through the practical aspect of journalism. That’s just the best way to go.”

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