SECTOR 4 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: Score of previous years: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 2.0 2006: 1.7; 2008: 1.4; 2010: 2; 2012: 1.6; 2015: 2.4 4.7 Media professionals have access to training facilities offering formal qualification programmes as well as opportunities to upgrade skills Nearly every university in the country now has a media programme. However, the only two dedicated journalism training colleges are the Harare Polytechnic and the Christian College of Southern Africa (CCOSA). The rest of the academic institutions focus on training ‘media thinkers and media researchers.’ Opportunities for advanced journalism training are sorely lacking in Zimbabwe. After obtaining an undergraduate degree, there is no further training available for a journalist (such as a post-graduate diploma). Therefore, a journalism advancement institution that trains mid-career journalists and provides specialised training, is much needed in Zimbabwe. Journalists have been sent to the Sol Plaatje Institute in South Africa for further training, although some have declined the offer for this additional training. Another training-related challenge is that those who draw up curricula and benchmarks simply impose what they want. The Higher Education Examinations Council, for instance, has now decided that the two-year diploma is inadequate, and a national certificate is required (with O level as an entry requirement). Furthermore, media curricula are not harmonised with industry needs. Thus, there is no relationship between the training activities at colleges and the requirements of the media industry. Training institutions face pressures to increase the number of students in order to maximise revenue. However, with large numbers, there cannot be effective quality control. There are also some training institutions who use trainers who have never been in a newsroom. Training is also not accessible to those with disabilities. Sign language interpreters are not availed for hearing impaired students, for example, and lecturers are not trained in this regard. 42 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2020