Visually Impaired Student Makes History as First to Complete Journalism Training at Niger's ESSCOM

A visually impaired student in Niger has made history as the first person with visual impairment to complete professional journalism training at the École Supérieure des Sciences de la Communication et des Médias, ESSCOM, the country's premier journalism and media school based in Niamey.

The student, Amadou Tahirou Daouda, defended his final year research project before officials, family members, professors and classmates as part of the opening thesis defence session for the school's 2023 to 2026 professional licence cohort. His research examined the inclusion of persons with disabilities in schools, with a specific focus on the situation of visually impaired learners in Niamey.

Daouda delivered his presentation using braille, walking the panel through the barriers that visually impaired students face in accessing education in Niger, particularly the shortage of specialized learning materials and the limited number of teachers trained in appropriate pedagogical methods for learners with visual impairment. Following deliberation, the examining jury awarded his work a score of 16 out of 20.

The defence drew senior figures from Niger's media and communication establishment. Abdoul Karim Soumaila, technical adviser to the minister in charge of communication, commended ESSCOM for what he described as a new inclusive character, noting the school's progress in integrating and training students living with disabilities for careers in journalism.

Ibrahim Manzo Diallo, president of Niger's National Communication Observatory, described the achievement as a landmark moment for the institution. He said Daouda's defence carried a message beyond the walls of the school, namely that barriers can be pushed back and that the only limits that exist are those people impose on themselves. He said he was visibly moved by the presentation.

Soumaila also used the occasion to urge ESSCOM to continue adapting its training to prepare young journalists for what he called the new paradigm of information warfare, stressing the need for quality, credible reporting that contributes to national unity and social cohesion.

ESSCOM traces its roots to the Centre de Formation aux Techniques de l'Information, founded in 1977, which later became the Institut de Formation aux Techniques de l'Information et de la Communication before being transformed into ESSCOM by government decree in November 2022. The school, under the supervision of Niger's Ministry of Communication, offers training from certificate through doctoral level in audiovisual and print journalism, media production, documentation and archiving, and audiovisual technology.

Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.

International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP

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References
Le Sahel, "Lancement des soutenances des licences professionnelles à l'ESSCOM : La fin d'un cycle, le début d'une carrière professionnelle", https://www.lesahel.org/lancement-des-soutenances-des-licences-professionnelles-a-lesscom-la-fin-dun-cycle-le-debut-dune-carriere-professionnelle/

École Supérieure des Sciences de la Communication et des Médias, background profile, https://legrandfrere.africa/etablissement/ecole-superieure-des-sciences-de-la-communication-et-des-medias-esscom/

Wikipédia, "École supérieure des sciences de la communication et des médias", https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_sup%C3%A9rieure_des_sciences_de_la_communication_et_des_m%C3%A9dias

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