A total of 14 journalists across print, online, and broadcast media have been selected by DevReporting to participate in a story project on the education sector in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.
The successful ones, according to a statement signed by DevReporting’s Programme Manager, Samson Ademola, were drawn from a pool of about 40 journalists whose pitches were received before the deadline set for the application.
The newspaper had, in September, asked journalists based in Oyo State or other nearby states to submit compelling story ideas exploring transparency and accountability in education financing, gender-responsive planning and budgeting, barriers to girls’ education, and citizens’ role in education planning and monitoring.
The initiative, Mr Ademola said, is implemented in partnership with Education As a Vaccine (EVA) and supported by the Malala Fund, as part of ongoing efforts to improve girls’ enrolment, retention, and completion of secondary education in Oyo State.
“This project focuses on investigating how funding, citizen participation, and gender policies contribute to learning outcomes and access to quality education, particularly for girls,” the statement noted.
The selected journalists are Bilkis Abdulraheem of Radio Nigeria, Quadri Adejumo of Techparley Africa, Oluwakemi Adelagun of Premium Times, Christiana Alabi-Akande of DevReporting, Juliet Buna of Crest TV, Nchetachi Chukwuajah of The Radar, Fatimah Hamid of Ripples Nigeria, Sodiq Mojibola of DevReporting, Funmi Ogundare of ThisDay, Oluseye Ojo of The Sun, Yomi Okanlawon of Business Metrics, David Olatunji of Lagos Voice, Gbenga Oyetola of Oyomind, and Adedokun Theophilus of African Angle.
According to Mr Ademola, many of the selected journalists are multiple award winners with years of experience reporting on development issues for local and international media platforms.
To support the delivery of impactful stories, DevReporting and EVA will host a virtual briefing session on Friday, 7 November, with the selected journalists. During the session, they will be guided on the project’s objectives, reporting expectations, and the editorial and logistical support available.
Over a three-week reporting period, the journalists will produce in-depth reports that highlight challenges and opportunities in the education sector. DevReporting will provide continuous guidance throughout the reporting process to ensure the production of high-quality, evidence-based stories.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr Ademola stated that the stories will serve as a tool for engagement with critical stakeholders in Oyo State.
“At DevReporting, we see journalism as a bridge between evidence and action. The stories emerging from this project will serve as a tool to engage policymakers and other stakeholders in Oyo State on how to make education financing and planning more inclusive, equitable, and accountable,” Mr Ademola said.
DevReporting is a niche media and cinematic platform focusing on development reporting, while Education As a Vaccine (EVA) is a youth-focused non-profit organisation committed to improving access to quality education and promoting gender equality, with support from the Malala Fund.
