PLU JOURNALISM STUDENTS VISIT PARLIAMENT

Pentecostal Life University (PLU) journalism students in Lilongwe last week visited Parliament as part of their studies.

The main purpose of the visit was to have an overview of parliamentary practices and procedures, including Parliamentary privileges, contempt of Parliament and the importance of the parliamentary procedures.

Lawson Chitseko, Chief Clerk Assistant and advisor to the speaker on parliamentary matters said they receive a lot of visitors from different schools and organisations with a similar purpose.

“We have a program known as ‘take the parliament to the people’ with the aim of providing civic education to people on what Parliament is all about and what is done inside the house,” he said, adding that when people visit Parliament, the legislature cuts costs of travelling to other areas to teach.

The chief clerk assistant also hinted on Parliament opening television and radio in the near future and encouraged the students to work hard to secure jobs and internships there.

One the organisers of the visit, who is also a journalism and media studies lecturer, Fred Nkula, thanked Parliament for giving the students the opportunity to learn.

“Parliament is one of the areas where lead stories come from. We will encourage our students to attend Parliament when sitting begins in May this year so they can learn more,” he said.

A fourth year student, Bridget Mwendela said now she has a better understanding of parliamentary discourse.

The university has parliamentary/ political journalism as a course within journalism and media studies.