Al-Fanar Media is seeking early to mid-career journalists interested in writing about education for its new education-journalism program.
The program has two main goals:
• To strengthen the ability of journalists to write about education and to improve their knowledge about educational issues.
• To directly improve the quality and increase the quantity of reporting on education within the Arab region.
During the program, the journalists will become familiar with key global education issues and how they connect to the country in which the journalists work. They will learn to identify sources of background information and connect with global, regional, and local education experts. They will be able to network with other journalists working in the Arab region. They will also participate by offering their own experiences and ideas about how to best develop the coverage of education in their country/region. (To learn more about training program read: Powering Up Education Journalism in the Arab World or watch the video. )
Al Fanar Media believes education coverage is often lacking in Arab journalism even though it is a critical issue in many Arab societies. To change this, we are offering more than just the standard journalism “training” program, with the following expectations:
• Participating journalists are expected to write four articles about education in 6 months, some of which may be published in Al Fanar Media. The journalists will be paid at standard freelance rates, if the articles meet Al-Fanar Media standards. Journalists are also encouraged to publish their education articles in other Arab websites, newspapers, or magazines. Interested and capable participants will be encouraged to continue to report for Al Fanar Media following the completion of the program.
• Participants will be provided with an experienced mentor to improve reporting and writing skills over a 6-month period. They will be expected to work closely with them and contribute regularly to an on-line forum throughout the program.
• Participants will attend a three-day workshop, in Turkey, in the middle of the program, with all basic expenses covered.
Requirements:
Applicants should send their C.V.’s, some samples of their work (links or attachments to articles or video) and 300 words or more (English or Arabic) on why they are interested in writing about education to Rasha Faek on the following email: [email protected]. Please note in subject line: “Education-journalism program.” This needs to reach us by February 18th at the latest. Applicants will be notified on their acceptance on the program by March 1.
About Al-Fanar Media :
The online publication provides balanced, accurate and independent coverage of all aspects of academic life in the Arab world. The publication, bilingual in English and Arabic, serves readers who work in Arab higher education and those who have a stake in it, as well as creating a platform for dialogue for those within and without the Arab region.
The U.N Democracy Fund is supporting this project. Al Fanar Media editors take no particular political or religious stands.
Hi,
to which scale are you discussing the educational errors and improvements in our communities?
1- Ideological Scale: where we discuss the core purposes behind the educational systems?
2- Procedural scale: where we discuss the flow and hierarchy of action within the educational systems?
3- Corruption Scale: where we pinpoint the flow of corruption within the educational systems and their impacts to the society?
Moreover, to which extent are you willing to deal with those issue, is it going to just a mere discussion (Theoretical reasoning and documentation) without a (practical action) on the base level, or are you willing to launch a practical campaign to help educate the people theoretically and “Practically”?
one of the issues regarding the procedural scale “in education” has to do with the think vs work ratio. The simplest way I can put is that most studies are around 90% thinking and 10% practice although this ratio should be inverted.
A last concern, in your website you just stated ” Al Fanar Media editors take no particular political or religious stands.” Well, how come are you going to take an action without interfering with political and religious Ideologies? Those two fields are part of each culture you are impacting. If you ignore those two fields, it is as if you are stating that you are not willing to discuss the culture of the societies you are trying to fix their educational problems. In other words, it is just a mere talk without a true interference with the peoples lives.