Garowe, August 19: Puntland is on the cusp of a historic milestone in journalism education. On 16 August 2025, the Media Association of Puntland (MAP) hosted a validation workshop in Garowe to review the draft Bachelor of Journalism and Media Communication Curriculum—the first structured, university-level journalism program ever developed for the region.
For years, aspiring journalists in Puntland lacked a clear academic pathway, relying on short-term trainings and informal learning. This gap left the media sector with uneven professional standards, limited ethical grounding, and insufficient digital skills.
The new curriculum addresses these challenges through a coherent three-year degree program that combines rigorous classroom instruction with hands-on newsroom experience. Its goal is to produce journalists who are technically proficient, ethically responsible, socially conscious, and adaptable to the fast-evolving media landscape.
MAP Chairman Mr. Mohamed Dahir Warsame hailed the curriculum as a transformative step toward raising professional standards, reinforcing ethical practice, and enhancing the overall quality of journalism in Somalia. He called on participants to dedicate their full attention to reviewing the content, emphasizing that their contributions would be vital to shaping a program that genuinely meets Puntland’s media needs and prepares journalists for the challenges of the 21st-century newsroom.
Dahir emphasized: “This curriculum is not just about producing graduates; it is about shaping responsible journalists who will strengthen democracy, accountability, and peace in our society. By investing in journalism education, we are investing in the future of Somalia.”
Developed by respected media expert Mr. Mahad Jama Koronto, the new journalism curriculum emerged from wide consultations with more than 80 media practitioners across Puntland. Drawing on UNESCO’s Model Curricula for Journalism Education while adapting it to Somalia’s realities, the framework rests on four key pillars: ethical and professional standards, practical reporting skills, conflict-sensitive and gender-aware journalism, and innovation in digital media.
When it reached the validation workshop, the curriculum became more than a document — it became a living vision. The discussions ignited bold ideas, reshaping and strengthening the framework in ways that responded directly to the needs of Somalia’s media landscape. Participants pressed for students to be immersed in newsroom culture from the very first year through practical reporting courses, while also endorsing the creation of a Research Methods course to sharpen critical inquiry.
The digital era was firmly integrated, with new modules on Digital Marketing, Audience Engagement, and Data Verification ensuring graduates are prepared for today’s fast-changing media world. Gender Inclusion was reframed as Gender Mainstreaming, embedding equity throughout the program, and the documentary module was expanded into full-scale production training — equipping students to take a story from concept to screen with professional impact.
MAP Project Manager Mr. Ibrahim A. Mohamed emphasized that the validation workshop was not just a technical exercise, but a step toward rebuilding the foundation of journalism education in Puntland. He noted that, in the past, the absence of formal institutions dedicated to journalism studies left the sector without a strong academic base, undermining both its professionalism and its public standing. The new curriculum, he explained, seeks to reverse that trend by setting high standards that will not only strengthen skills and ethics but also restore dignity and respect to the media profession.
Ibrahim underlined – “This workshop is about more than refining a curriculum — it is about investing in the future of Somali journalism. By creating a solid educational framework, we are equipping universities to produce journalists who are technically competent, ethically grounded, and socially responsible. This will give the media sector the respect it deserves and re-establish it as a pillar of democracy, accountability, and peace in our society.”
The initiative is being led by the Media Association of Puntland (MAP) with technical support from Free Press Unlimited and co-funding from the European Union (EU) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
MAP extends its deepest appreciation to all stakeholders whose contributions made this process possible. Their active engagement has ensured that the curriculum is not only academically rigorous but also socially relevant — positioning Puntland at the forefront of journalism education and nurturing a new generation of Somali journalists who are skilled, ethical, and resilient.
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