By Momodou Jarju
The Press Club of Mayork Junior and Senior Secondary Schools has on Saturday 15th December observed its annual Press Day held under the theme “Importance of communication between the press and community.”
Delivering his opening statement at the school’s main hall, Amidou Antieng Jarju, the principal of the school said this year’s celebration is the fourth edition observed by the club. Principal Jarju said the press club has registered with the Attorney General’s Chamber.
“This press club is not a press club by name. It is recognized nationally,” he said.
He said the purpose for the establishment of the club was to groom young journalists and also good, talented and skillful performers in the country. Mr. Jarju thanked his teaching staff and students without whom, he said, the celebration of Press Day wouldn’t have been a success.
Speaking on behalf of the president of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), Mr. Pa Modou Faal, congratulated Mayork press club and implored them to keep up the momentum.
Journalist Faal said the dawn of the new Gambia has witnessed untrained people turning to become journalists, citing DJs as an example. This, he said, results in some of them being judgmental and opinionating stories. He said it is against this backdrop that GPU at their level are working on ensuring that every registered journalist has a press card which would confirm that the bearer is a professional journalist.
Speaking further, Mr. Faal said a journalist must respect himself before others would respect him, while urging the press club members to be defenders of the press.
The chief guest of honor, Mr. Edrissa Njie speaking on the topic “importance of communication between parents and their children on matters affecting them”, urged parents to listen to their children and involve them on issues affecting them.
He said as a parent, he was moved by the performance displayed by the students from the different schools invited at the function.
Thrilled by what he saw at the event, Mr. Njie urged other schools across the country to emulate Moyork School.
Other speakers at the event includes the out-going president of Gambia College Press Club, Alagie B Drammeh who spoke on “the importance of journalism as a career,” and Mr. Samba Keita the Scholarship Programme Manager of Foni Ding Ding Federation.
