By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The National Executive of the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL) has officially launched a two-week course in Sports Ethics, Administration, and Management for journalists at Fourah Bay College.
At the opening of the course, Sahr Morris Junior, President of SWASAL, emphasized that the initiative aims to build capacity and empower sports journalists to stay updated with contemporary reporting standards in line with ethical practices. He also announced plans for the association to collaborate with the Faculty of Communication Media and Information Studies to establish a Diploma in Sports Journalism in the country.
Morris urged journalists to fully engage with the course, highlighting its significant impact on their academic and professional development.
Francis Alpha, a lecturer and coordinator of the Human Kinetics short course, underscored the importance of the program for enhancing the capacity of sports reporters nationwide. He added that the department is actively working with university authorities to develop a degree program in Sports Journalism.
Mohamed Konneh, Financial Secretary of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), noted that the timing of this two-week course is perfect, as it will greatly enrich the knowledge of sports journalists in Sierra Leone. He further indicated that SLAJ plans to implement a series of capacity-building courses aimed at improving professional journalism in the country.
Currently, a total of 14 sports journalists are enrolled in the two-week course at Fourah Bay College.