Failure of students in an examination should be at attributed to the students but not lecturers

Madam Louisa Ata Agyeman, the Student Representative council (S R C) president of Jayee University College has said the failure of students in an examination should be at attributed to the students but not lecturers.

She said the success of students lie in their hand adding that the only way they can achieve this success is through hard working and showing respect to their lecturers.

The SRC President said for students to excel in life, they must read more to add what the lecturers have given to them for lecturers assist in acquiring knowledge and not to give out everything.

She said this in an interview with the Campus Agenda News paper on Jayee campus to react on reasons why some students failed on campus even though guidelines are given before the commencement of the semester examination.

“Even though lecturers can fail students, the biggest way the students can fails is through their own mentality” she said.

Madam Agyeman added that in a situation where lecturers go on strike because they have not been paid by the government, the students can be blamed for their failure for taking the strike as an excuse but the government and authorities should put measures in place curb the issue.

She urged students not to blame lecturers for their failure in examination but should know well that they did not prepare for the examination.

The President reiterated that most students take the glory when they excel in their exams but attribute to lecturers when they fail saying the lecturer intentionally gave them that marks of no reason.

She urged students to take their studies seriously if they want to excel in life and not to accuse anybody of their failure.

THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN CONSOLIDATING DEMOCRACY IN GHANA UNDER THE FOURTH REPUBLIC

In the light of the successful and peaceful outcome of the December 2008 elections in Ghana, inclusive of the second transfer of power between political parties since the return to democratic rule in 1992.

Findings demonstrate that although significant progress has been made towards democratic consolidation in Ghana, there are aspects of consolidation that remain weak. Thus it would be premature to state that democratic consolidation has been achieved in Ghana.

With regard to the prospects for sustained consolidation, the closeness that Ghana came to political violence during the fraught election period is highlighted, indicating a latent threat to future democratic stability.

Additionally, a number of constraints and challenges are identified in various arenas of consolidation, inclusive of the limited policy influence of civil society organizations.

The marginalization of women, excessive executive/presidential powers, the adverse impact of external actors on democratic sovereignty, and the implications for democratic sustainability of a continued failure to address gross socio-economic inequalities.

Without addressing such issues, Ghana's democratic gains may turn out to be a rather hollow triumph.

Democracy is a political philosophy which means, according to former American president, Abraham Lincoln, the “government of the people, by the people, for the people”.

It is a rule by the people; this is when the citizens take part in government either directly or indirectly by choosing a government through free and fair election. In fact, these modern democracies can be described as Representative Democracy.

Democracy is the best form of government and should be proudly promoted and consolidated. But whose duty is to consolidate it?

Is it the politicians who can manipulate the electoral process or the Electoral Commission which can also succumb to the politicians’ pressures and influences or the mass media which can expose both of them?

“Democracy… ” Robert M. Hutchins once said “…is the only form of government that is founded on the dignity of man, not dignity of some men, or rich men, or educated men or white men, but of all men”.

Some features of democracy includes (a) free and fair elections, competitive multi party elections, giving the people chance to choose their preferred candidates, free from force and bribes as well as prevention of votes rigging.

(b) majority rule and respect for minority right , this means that the majority should not take advantage of its majority Members of Parliament and take policies that will negatively affect the right of the minority , as Abraham Lincoln said “ as I would not be a slave , so I would not be a master.

ROLE OF THE MEDIA, The 1992 republican constitution which is the fundamental law of our land provides certain roles to be played by certain institutions to promote democratic culture in Ghana and media is one of those important institutions. The press is said to be the Fourth Estate of the Realm.

Hence the 1992 Republican constitution in Article 162(3) stipulates that “there shall be no impediments to the establishment of private press or media, and in particular, there shall be no law requiring any person to obtain a license as a prerequisite to the establishment or operation of a newspaper, journal or other media for communication or information”.

As the fourth estate of the realm, the public expect the media to play their watchdog role. They should do this with a high sense of responsibility without injuring on the right of individuals and society in general.

(A) Social responsibility. (b) Professional integrity, that is journalist should not accept bribe or any form of inducement to influence the performance of his / her professional duties (c) respect for privacy and human dignity etc.

The media also have the role of promoting freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is more needed in our society, it is the role of the media to educate the people in the importance of freedom of speech and how they can contribute to some issues rise by the media.

The exercise of the function of disseminating information services various ends. It can mobilize public opinion on social issues, set the political agenda, create awareness of emerging issues of concern, give currency to new ideas and even test conventional wisdom.

All these results are obtained by the introduction of new ideas into the mind of the public. The playing fields of the press are thus other people’s minds.

RECENT TIMES
In recent times, some media houses and journalist are not doing what is expected of them. They have abandoned their social responsibilities as “watch dogs”. Some of the media houses have become “profit centers”, mostly becoming profit seeking industry.

Some have become government cronyism and uncritical.
Modern media could be abused for propaganda purposes particularly during election periods. Propaganda is a sophisticated art of persuasive communication.

Some of the media houses and journalist are bias, major journalist share certain biases just because the dislike certain personalities in a particular party and because of this they carry their biases into their reporting.

Some of them also are affiliated with some political institutions. Media bias can be journalist own personal beliefs which someone referred to as “personal journalism”. This is because some media houses or journalist can simply refuse to give space to competing points of views; they influence, control and set the agenda (agenda setting).

Two theories of media influence are (I) Agenda setting and (2) News media spin.

Agenda setting, according to Theodore White, in 1972, wrote “the power of the press is a primordial one .It sets the agenda of public discussion, and this sweeping power is unrestrained by any law.

It determines what people will talk and think about, an authority in other nations that is reserved for tyrant, priest, parties, and mandarins. Therefore, it is very important who sets the potential voters agenda, especially during this presidential campaigns.

News media spin {spin doctors}, they do news judgment, they are news arbiters, they try to illustrate by presenting favorable comment about preferred candidates. They also defend their preferred candidates acting as PRO’s.

Some of them provide favorable coverage to candidates with whom they agree on most issues or intentionally manufacture criticism of candidates with whom they disagree.

Potential voters normally tend to reflect the language, opinions and agenda of journalist who cover political campaigns as well as those who review the newspapers.

Some major journalist and media houses (gate keepers) now have an opportunity to exercise much control over the politicians and to some extent the electorates.

As Alexis de Tocqueville, in 1848(Democracy in America) said “nothing but a newspaper can drop the same thought into a thousand minds at the same time”.

The media can help consolidate our infant democracy by what Mr. Kofi Annan, described as “PREVENTIVE JOURNALSIM” rather than destructive journalism in reference to 1994 Rwanda genocide.

Prevention of inflammatory languages, It is no doubt that interactive radio programmers in themselves achieve democratic participation and thus consolidate it but radio, for instance , has sometimes been used to invent crisis.

Most inflammatory languages are spoken and heard during newspapers review as well as radio discussions .Typical examples are when, a Hon. MP boastfully and arrogantly insulted a party's Gen. Sec. of wearing a faded “second hand “suit.

In another instance was when an MP also during a debate on radio angrily said to his opponent “if you misbehave I will slap you “. Lastly, is when two Hon. MP's during debate on local FM not only insulted themselves but nearly exchange blows.

FEATURE STORIES CAN BE FOUND EVERY WHERE. DISCUSS

FEATURE STORIES CAN BE FOUND EVERY WHERE DISCUSSES.

Feature stories are journalistic style of arranging relevant information into an interesting and lively story. It is design to entertain and educate certain readers of situation, an event or an aspect of life.

When writing feature stories, the writer comment on the background and should use rich language and some techniques such as personification, metaphor and irony, meaning feature stories are nonfiction.

Feature stories can be found everywhere but the writer should be original, the idea chosen should be of interest to the write. This will help in gathering more information about the idea chosen.

Feature stories can be found everywhere such as natural occurrences, rainfall, earthquake, volcanicity, tip off, press release\Statement ,court ,political parties, police station, from the internet, from research institution etc.

By critical observation into natural occurrences such as rainfall, earthquake, volcanicity, a writer can develop a feature story. The feature story should tell the readers how this natural occurrence occurs, the advantages and the disadvantages.

: In the case of rainfall, the writer should let the readers or the listeners know the amount of rain, the season of the rain and destruction that occurred.

Tipoff: information from a friend or from a knowledgeable person that the writer considers being useful to him or her can be use as feature story example: The mention of the damage of a housing project on water way.

Press statement, a press statement or release from press organizations working on project or on issues relating to the environment. The writer must ask question as to whether the press release or statement is of interest to him or her.

The court, the court is another source of feature story. The activities inside the court and how the Judges give their Judgment can be of interest to a writer to be use as feature story.

Political parties play a major role in the society, how they are form and how they contest for an election. A writer can study through their activities and develop a feature story.

Example: The Akuffo Addo’s flagbearrah and Alan cash factor.
In all these sources, the writer should consider if the idea is researchable, that is if the writer can have access to the right information. This will help the readers or listeners have satisfaction after reading or listening to the feature story.