THE GUEST OF HONOUR MINISTRY OF EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVE
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT
COOPERATING PARTNERS PRESENT
INDEPENDENT BROADCASTING AUTHORITY REPRESENTATIVE
EDUCATION BROADCAST SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE
MEDIA INSTITUTE FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA ZAMBIA REPRESENTATIVE
POLICY MONITORING RESEARCH CENTER REPRESENTATIVE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS MEDIA HOUSES
ZANEC BOARD AND MEMBER ORGANISATIONS PRESENT
OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS PRESENT,
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,
INVITED GUESTS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED
IT IS MY HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE ZAMBIA NATIONAL EDUCATION COALITION (ZANEC) MEDIA AWARDS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW YOU VALUE THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN PROMOTING THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE, ZANEC IS A COALITION OF NON-STATE ACTORS WORKING IN THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR. THE ORGANISATION FOCUSES ON RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND MEMBER CAPACITY BUILDING. ZANEC MEMBERS COMPRISE OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS), FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (FBO’S), NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS), TEACHER TRADE UNIONS, AND STUDENT UNIONS. THE MEMBERSHIP OF ZANEC CURRENTLY STANDS AT 93 MEMBER ORGANISATIONS SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR’S MEDIA AWARDS IS “THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN PROMOTING QUALITY AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION”. IN LINE WITH THE THEME, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE MEDIA PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN AWARENESS RAISING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN ANY GIVEN COUNTRY. THEY PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN CREATING AWARENESS AND ADVOCATING FOR QUALITY AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF THEIR GENDER, ABILITY, AGE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS OR LOCATION. THE MEDIA BEING THE MOUTHPIECE OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED IN CHAMPIONING THE REALISATION OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR ALL.
IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR WORK, THE MEDIA SHOULD BE ON TOP OF THINGS IN TERMS OF KNOWING NEW DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS, POLICIES, NATIONAL PLANS, INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND PROTOCOLS. WE ARE OF THE VIEW THAT DOING SO AS HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE WILL ENABLE THE MEDIA TO PROMOTE THE TRUE VALUE OF EDUCATION. IT IS VITAL THAT THE MEDIA IS INNOVATIVE BY ENCOURAGING DECISION MAKERS, COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES AND PARENTS TO INVEST IN EDUCATION SYSTEMS THAT CAN PRODUCE HIGHER LEVEL SKILLS CAPABLE OF BRINGING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THE OBJECTIVE OF THE AWARDS IS TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE REPORTING ON THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR BY RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS, UNDERSTANDING, PARTICIPATION AND THE NEED FOR THE PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.
THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE MEDIA WILL BE MOTIVATED TO REPORT ON EDUCATION-RELATED ADVOCACY ISSUES IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING SUCH AS ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND INCLUSIVE QUALITY EDUCATION AMONG OTHERS.
2. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE MEDIA WILL BE REPORTING OBJECTIVELY ON SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR IN THE COUNTRY.
3. OF COURSE, WE EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE INCREASED VISIBILITY OF ZANEC THROUGH MEDIA REPORTING.
OVERALL, THE AWARDS THAT ZANEC WILL BE PRESENTING TODAY ARE IN THREE MAIN CATEGORIES NAMELY:
CATEGORY 1: SKILLS AND TERTIARY EDUCATION – WITH A BIAS TOWARDS ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING;
CATEGORY 2: YOUTH AND ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION (YALE);
CATEGORY 3: GENDER AND EQUITY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
ZANEC TAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPRECIATE OUR FUNDING PARTNER NORWEGIAN STUDENTS’ AND ACADEMIC INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FUND (SAIH) WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THESE MEDIA AWARDS. INDEED, SAIH HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING ADVOCACY IN HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS SINCE 2012 AND THE MEDIA AWARDS IN PARTICULAR SINCE 2014.
FINALLY, ZANEC WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE ALL THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CALL FOR THESE AWARDS.
THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
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