Forty journalism students from four Rwandan universities have completed a three-day training on the official standards of Kinyarwanda for news writing, as well as on effective use of social media.
This training, organized by the Rwanda Media Programme (RMP), aimed to enhance the students’ expertise in journalism, addressing specific skill areas identified as crucial for their professional growth. It took place in Musanze District from November 11 to 13, 2024.
The participating students were from the University of Rwanda’s Huye Campus (UR), East African University (EAUR), Institut Catholique de Kabgayi (ICK), and Mount Kigali University Rwanda (MKUR).
According to Mahoro Claudine, the Coordinator of the Rwanda Media Programme, the training was tailored to meet the students’ specific needs identified in collaboration with their academic institutions.
“We collaborated with their instructors to determine the key areas where they needed skill enhancement and structured the training accordingly,” Mahoro explained.
Several students expressed that the training significantly enriched their existing knowledge and will assist them in practicing professional journalism.
Emmanuel Itangishaka, a student from EAUR, gained valuable insights into proper Kinyarwanda usage in news writing, saying, “We learned a lot, and it’s essential for the journalism profession. Now we understand the appropriate words to use in our news stories and have improved our writing style in Kinyarwanda.”
Another participant, Happiness Ihimbazwe from ICK, who was trained on Social Media Usage, Multimedia Storytelling, Pitching a Story and Interviewing Techniques, noted that she learned how to use social media platforms effectively for journalistic purposes rather than solely for entertainment. “Many people are accustomed to using social media just for fun, but we learned how to leverage it for professional journalism,” she stated.
She also emphasized the importance of practical application in education, suggesting that instructors provide students more opportunities to implement what they learn rather than relying solely on theoretical instruction.
Maniraguha Ferdinand, who trained the students on Kinyarwanda writing skills, highlighted a prevalent eagerness among students to gain practical journalism skills, especially given the current educational gap where programs often emphasize theoretical knowledge over hands-on experience.
“Universities should invest more in teaching students robust news writing skills and other essential documentation that journalists need to produce polished reports, with a focus on practical application rather than theory alone,” he remarked.
He added that the issue of writing in proper Kinyarwanda is widespread among recent graduates, who often view it as less essential.
“We need more awareness campaigns to remind journalists that writing poor Kinyarwanda is just as problematic as making mistakes in foreign languages,” he stated.
The Rwanda Media Programme is committed to advancing journalism education by supporting schools that prepare future journalists. This initiative is expected to run through 2026.
