UNICEF has expressed concern over the under-reporting of child right issues in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

 

A UNICEF high ranking official in South East region Dr Ijeoma Onuoha, expressed this feeling during the twenty-third Annual International Conference and Annual General Meeting of African Council for Communication Education, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Queen Anigbogu was there and reports that Dr Onuoha said the UNICEF recognizes the power of the media in trying to address child rights issues noting that UNICEF is very passionate in driving child rights curriculum into institutions and in the life of scholars of journalism to ensure that these issues are brought to the fore.

 

She also spoke on the unbundling of Mass Communication course and how it can aid in bringing child right issues to the mainstream.

The Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Professor Uche Nwogwugwu, pointed out that Nnamdi Azikiwe University is the first university in Nigeria to adopt Child -rights studies in about five of its departments adding that they are highly concerned about child right issues and take it very seriously.

 

For the Head of Department of Mass Communication Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Dr Cornelius Ukwueze, while speaking about the unbundling of Mass Communication course, said the vision of the pacesetters of the programme is to create a communication curriculum that will bring employment to people.

 

He pointed out that a lot of universities in Nigeria are keying into it including Nnamdi Azikiwe University which has reached an advanced stage.

The theme of the conference, “Communicating Science, Technology and Innovation in the times of Economic Distress, terror and pandemic,” stirred robust discussions among Communication scholars that graced the occasion.