The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Children to be trained as reporters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 30, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Children to be trained as reporters

R. Avadhani

SANGAREDDY: With the rich experience and benefits reaped in the past by training the child reporters, the United Nations Children's Education Fund (UNICEF) has been preparing to train another batch of 30 students as reporters, including in the electronic media.

Many of those trained by the Department of Communication, Central University, with the sponsorship of UNICEF entering class X in the current academic year is one of the main reasons to think on these lines.

In the first batch, 22 students studying lower classes were trained as the reporters. They were brought to Sangareddy from their respective villages, offered boarding and lodging and were trained for six months on holidays.

The programme was so successful that the child reporters were acclaimed across the nation for their skills in bringing up the issues in rural areas. While five child reporters have been continuing their education in government high school at Rustumpet, another 25 reporters were being picked up. Five reporters each from Pothireddypally and Kandi high schools were picked up by the administration whereas another 15 children were identified by SPACE, an NGO based at Medak for this purpose.

The child reporters would able to run ‘wall newspapers' in their respective villages pointing out problems, which were addressed at village level as well as district-level. The children were handed over with hand cameras and taught about subject selection and editing skills.

“Children are able to communicate effectively and convey their feelings though they are short films,'' says N. Balachary, UNICEF district in-charge. The training for these reporters would commence from next week. Having substantial number of child reporters, Collector S. Suresh Kumar has been planning to use their services in recording the works like NREGS, prevailing conditions in hostels and schools.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh