Management of GIJ reacts to graduation rumpus

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Management of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) has clarified the circumstances leading to the confusion which erupted at the 1st session of the school’s 2022 graduation ceremony last Thursday.

A statement from the Management refuted any allegations that it is responsible for the confusion which occurred during the ceremony.

“Any twisted reportage seeking to portray the Institute in a negative light is not only mischievous but shameful,” the statement read.

Many media outlets on Thursday, April 21, 2022 reported that the disruption of the ceremony by the rains sparked agitations amongst the graduating students who levelled accusations and blamed the Institute’s Management for what they termed as poor organisation.

But the school in a statement explained that it had made arrangements for the ceremony to be continued in the school’s auditorium in the event of rain.

It added that the School’s Registrar had announced for the ceremony to be moved into the auditorium when it started raining but a group of graduands entered the auditorium, disrupting the event and accused the Management of the school of abandoning their parents in the rain.

“About forty-five minutes into the event, it started raining. The Registrar announced that the programme had to be moved to the Auditorium due to the weather. She, additionally, announced the agreed location for parents and acquaintances of graduands.

“The programme had barely resumed after the movements when a group of graduands entered from the rear of the auditorium amidst chanting and noise-making disrupting the smooth flow of the event. The group, numbering about fifteen, insisted that their parents be allowed into the auditorium to witness the rest of the event, or the Rector and other dignitaries relocate to the outdoor event ground,” portions of the statement noted.