NEW: Students upbeat about Zimpapers Junior Media Club

06 Aug, 2022 - 12:08 0 Views
NEW: Students upbeat about Zimpapers Junior Media Club

The Sunday Mail

Online Reporter

STUDENTS and teachers from Destiny Achievers Group of Schools who toured Zimpapers this week expressed excitement at the opportunity to learn about the media industry.

They also had an opportunity to meet veterans of the profession.

The group is part of the Zimpapers Junior Media Club, which was established to equip students with critical media skills by providing theory and practical training.

Further, this is one of Zimpapers’ corporate social responsibility initiatives whose focus is on “catching them young” by exposing them to how the media industry works.

Through this initiative, students are able to learn about the operations of the country’s biggest integrated media house from household names in the profession, who they normally read in newspapers, see on television or hear on radio.

Some of the executive managers and technical personnel who work behind the scenes are also made accessible through this initiative for the students to gain exposure, meet their role models and possibly plan their career path at an early stage.

Form Four student Natasha Mukoto said the tour was amazing and eye-opening for her.

“The experience was great and this place is amazing. I love everything here. I like the way they create visuals and control everything that we watch on television, as well as the newsroom.

“The way they gather news is interesting,” Mukoto said referring to her experience soon after touring Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) studios.

Chantel Pfuvhuti, a Form Two student, said she had been motivated to be part of The Herald family.

“I was inspired that I can do anything and be who I want to be despite my background.

“This tour has helped me a lot and now I know what it takes for one to be a journalist.

“I also learnt a lot about how they produce programmes and use equipment we did not know like the visual mixer,” she said.

While the initiative is being run countrywide, in Harare students from three schools have since gone through the first phase of theoretical training.

Apart from the Destiny Achievers Group, students from Queen Elizabeth Girls High and Mufakose High 2 have also participated in the training.

The latter school is yet to participate in a tour.

The initiative offers students interested in horning their skills in the media to contribute to the available print and broadcasting platforms within the stable.

Mr Neshto Muyambo, a geography and mathematics teacher with Destiny Achievers Group, said the initiative was a noble idea that will contribute significantly towards mapping a clear career path for students interested in media.

“We are happy to be associated with the biggest media house in Zimbabwe.

“As a school, our main mandate is to develop students as part of career guidance, help them to identify their potential, talents and then give them the necessary skills.

“Zimpapers came in to help us to develop them with the necessary career guidance platforms, so we are happy … we have benefited a lot.

“We started a media club this year at our school and fortunately by the grace of God we were also admitted into the Zimpapers Junior Media Club initiative,” he said.

During the tour, students were apprised about the history of the organisation by Zimpapers Group Editorial Executive Mr William Chikoto.

They subsequently toured newsrooms, television and radio studios, among other departments of interest.

Mr Chikoto highlighted how the programme was growing in leaps and bounds.

“We are hoping that in due course you will be able to write articles that will be published in newspapers.

“There are pages that are now dedicated to the junior media club, as well as television and radio programmes,” he said.

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