NEW TRENDS IN TRAINING SCIENCE JOURNALISTS IN AFRICA

Gervais MBARGA, Ph.D.Professor, Science Journalism, Univeristy of Yaoundé 2, Cameroon.

Research Associate, Chair in Science Journalism, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. Regional Coordinator SjCOOP, Francophone Africa Region.

Johannesburg, 19 Feb, 2009

SRUCTURE OF THE EXPOSÉ

• 1- CLASSICAL APPROACHES OF TRAINING S.J.

• 2- THE SJCOOP METHOD AND TOOLS

• 3- THE SjCOOP ACHIEVEMENTS

• 4- LESSONS WE LEARNED.

THE PROBLEM

Science journalists in african countries are:

Very few

Isolated

Unsupported

Lack training

THE PROBLEM

Science Journalists face:

Populations with questions: Health, Environment, Mastering the nature, Poverty

Scientists with answers Locally Worldwide

Growing influence of media In quantity In quality

CLASSICAL SOLUTIONS

Formal training in universities

Seminars Workshops Scholarships Awards Informal training

High Loss Rates: 70 to 90% do not continue as Science Reporter after 3 to 9 months

TRAINING IN UNIVERSITIES OR HIGH SCHOOLSLOSS RATES

YearProgrammeUniversityTypeGraduated1 yearLossRate

83-85ScienceUniversity of Yaoundé

National2011995.00%

94-96Science, Health, Environment

University of Yaoundé 2

International 15 countries

30102066.66%

98-00Health, Environment

Universities of Douala and Buea

National2021890.00%

Total70135781.42%

WORKSHOPS LOSS RATES

YearProgrammeFund byPlaceTypeAssisted1 yearLossRate

1982ScienceIDRCYaoundéInternational4 countries

2021890%

1990ScienceUNESCODakarInternational8 countries

2561976%

2002EnvironmentUNEPAdids-AbabaInternational19 countries

28101864.4%

2005HealthSciDevYaoundéInternational7 countries

2071365%

2005EnvironmentUNEPNairobiInternational20 countries

42162661.9%

2006Science, HealthUNESCO/ISESCO

BamakoInternational4 countries

2041680%

TOTAL1554511070.96%

THE SjCOOP PROJECT

• SjCOOP: Science Journalists in Cooperation

• A WFSJ MENTORING PROJECT.

• FUNDED BY: IDRC, DfID, SIDA

THE SjCOOP CONCEPT

The vision: equip a critical mass of journalists with skills; give suitable space to S&T in media; public in Africa and ME recognizes S&T as a mean to help solving their problems.

The mission: with the support of donors, build a network of SJ in Africa and ME connected to worldwide community of SJ.

THE SjCOOP ORGANISATION

SjCOOP MANAGEMENTCanada

15 MENTORSBelgium, Cameroon, Canada, Egypt, France,

Germany (2), Lebanon, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, UK, US

60 MENTEES FROM 32 COUNTRIES

3 Regional CoordinatorsCameroon, Egypt, Nigeria

Website ModeratorNigeria

EvaluatorGermany

THE SjCOOP OBJECTIVES

1. Panafrican and panarabic initiative

2. Increase quantity an quality of SJ

3. Break Isolation

4. Train In Situ With Advanced Tools

SjCOOP TOOLS THE WE WEBSITE

SjCOOP TOOLS

ONLINE COURSE: ENGLISH, FRENCH AND ARABIC

SjCOOP TOOLS FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS

CREATING LINKS, NETWORK, AND HUMAN CONTACTS• Nairobi (2006), Doha (2008)

SjCOOP APPROACHIN SITU TRAINING

• Trainees remain in their Environment, with their Colleagues, their Editors, with local Scientists, Policymakers, Decision Makers, with their public...

WE REACHED 60 NEWSROOMS AT THE BEGENNING, 46 NOW.

ACHIEVEMENTSQUALITY AND QUANTITY : 29 COUNTRIES, 46 SJ

ACHIEVEMENTS

Creating SJ Associations 10 Associations are

created in Africa. Associations became

member of the WFSJ

Associations are functionning Arabic, Fes (October, 2008) Nigeria (November, 2008) Uganda (November, 2008) Kenya (November, 2008) Rwanda (October, 2008)

ACHIEVEMENTS

Linked SJ to SJ and Scientists Worldwide 6 Associations are twinned

with Associations in developed countries

We built a Network of S.J. on a panafrican and arabic basis

ACHIEVEMENTS TRANSBORDER STORIES

REPORTS ON A PROBLEM WRITTEN BY SJ FROM 2 COUNTRIES AND MORE: VACCINE, WATER, ENERGY, CLINICAL TRIALS, ETC

MORE THAN 20 PAPERS IN NEWSPAPERS

Onche Odeh, Micheal Simire, Mabutho Ngcobo and Otula Owuor Subject: Energy

Aimable Twahirwa Charles Mkoka and Christina ScottMail & Guardian, South Africa

Subject: Chemicals

Christophe MvondoSubject: Water

Jerôme BigirimanaSubject: vaccine

ACHIEVEMENTS

We established contacts with Editors Scientists Academies

o The African Science Academy has invited us in Accra for its conference next year (2009)

4 Mentees created new science beats

1 Mentor started a new science magazine Otula Owuor, Kenya

8 mentees promoted head of science desks

ACHIEVEMENTS

We evaluated the programme on a daily basis and corrected problems when needed.

The use of the method of «Outcome Mapping» was helpful. This a participatory and learning oriented framework.

LESSONS LEARNEDABOUT TRAINING

Science Journalist capacity bulding is needed in Africa and ME.

Loss Rates can be reduced with in situ training and mentoringo 60 SJ at the beginning; o 46 now in their newsrooms .

Loss Rate: 30%, compare to 70-90% in Classical Approaches Ex Situ Training.

LESSONS LEARNEDABOUT TRAINING

Trainers from developed countries are not necessarily

better than trainers from developing countries.

Trainees have to be selected rigorously.

Combination of tools (mentoring, face-to-face meeting, field activities, online lesson, Skype and web-communication) really helps mentees.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT SCIENCE JOURNALISTS POSITION

Science Journalists can collaborate: Deborah Blum with help of Oxford Publishing is writing a book on global climate change. The book will include original reportings from our mentees. This is an example of international collaboration

Isolation can be broken and digital divide be reduced

- 2006 no one could held a discussion forum, a skypechat or a skypecast.

- 2008: nearly everybody has a skype acount and can hold a discussion forum a skypecast or a skypechat.

LESSONS LEARNEDABOUT SCIENCE JOURNALIST POSITION

Well chosen editors representing key media could become strategic partners of training programmes.

Scientists or Academies in developing world are key partners of Science Journalism.

Science Associations can help establishing national and transnational relationships.

LESSONS LEARNEDFROM A GLOBAL POINT OF VIEW

Transborder stories can have a big effect.o It’s a «massive» production of articles on a subject

Science Journalists can influence policymakers and decision makers.

LESSONS LEARNEDFROM A GLOBAL POINT OF VIEW

Influencing policies and government decisions Examples

• Allocation of funds to fix Lake Nyos (Cameroon)• Installation of filtering system on a cement plant (Jordan)• Setting up technical committee on Lake Nyos (Nigeria)• Speeding up of water treatment in Baghdad (Iraq)• Attacking societal taboos concerning children born with deformities

(Côte d’Ivoire)• Firing of corrupted AIDS drugs distribution official (Uganda)

LESSONS LEARNEDFROM A GLOBAL POINT OF VIEW

The evaluation of activities should start at the onset of the programme.

Panafrican or panarabic capacity building projects can work.• With the network we built, we see people in science and in

media willing to work with us.

FINAL OBSERVATIONS

• More efforts should be put into studying Science Journalism and Science communication in Africa (and developing countries):

– Science Journalists (Who? Where?What? Influence?)– The public of Science (Portraits, Needs, Interests,

Influence on Science and on Science Journalism) – The media of Science (Public, Stories, Writing skills)

THANK YOU

SjCOOP (Science journalists in Cooperation) –peer-to-peer mentoring project

for science journalists in Africa and the Middle East