The National University of Rwanda (NUR) and various stakeholders yesterday launched a teacher training program for Rwandan journalists who intend to work as journalism educators with the goal of raising media standards in the country.

The program is jointly sponsored by NUR, Rwanda Initiative, Carleton University’s Educational Development Centre (EDC) from Canada and USAID.

"Twelve Rwandan journalists from different media houses have been selected to undergo the intensive course. It will cover fundamentals like lesson planning, course design and student assessment methods,” Allan Thompson the Co-Director of Rwanda Initiative and a journalism professor at Carleton University said in a statement.

Thompson said that the week-long course also marks an historic step towards further strengthening the capacity of the Rwandan media by equipping local journalists with the knowledge and tools to enable them take over the task of teaching the next generation of journalists.

"Since its inception in 2006, Rwanda Initiative has brought over 60 Canadian journalists to work as lecturers and help fill the gaps in the sector that was devastated by the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis,” Thompson said.

The Director of Carleton’s EDC, Carol Miles also quoted in the statement, commended the caliber of the participants who enrolled for the program and praised the impressive teaching experience that they already had.

"This training exercise aims to prepare more Rwandan journalists to take on teaching roles, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the capacity of NUR’s journalism school,” Miles said.

She said that through this, the school of journalism will become a centre of excellence and the hub of media training and professional development both at the University and at the Great Lakes Media Centre.

"After obtaining their certificates, the teacher trainees will immediately be put to work.” Miles added.

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