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Ammon News -

Minister of State for Media Affairs, Sakher Dudin, said the government seeks to empower media spokespeople in ministries and government institutions through training, and enhance their presence in a bid to deliver information to the media and the public with the necessary speed and accuracy.

Dudin, who is also the government's official spokesperson, noted the government is mulling an idea to link media spokespeople in ministries and institutions with Minister of State for Media Affairs technically and unify the government's official narrative, especially on topics related to the state's general policy.

The minister made the remarks at a seminar entitled "The Role of Media Spokespersons in Government Institutions and Media Education, held by the Faculty of Mass Communication at the University of Petra on Thursday, adding that mission of the "media spokesperson is no longer limited to gov't ministries or institutions, but rather brings under its umbrella the majority of public and private political, economic and social frameworks and bodies."

On warding off rumors and false information, Dudin said this effort could succeed by providing accurate and correct information to the media and citizens, adding that the government seeks to enhance the flow of information by developing a law to ensure right of access to information, which was submitted to Parliament, which offers proposed amendments that would constitute " qualitative shift" in this field.

Discussing action to raise media awareness locally, Dudin indicated that the government seeks, through the executive plan of the National Initiative to Disseminate Media and Information Literacy for 2020-2023, to improve society's capability to deal with information and news sources, and digital technology tools.

The plan, he said, aims to integrate media and information concepts and skills into the Jordanian educational system, within university and school curricula.

The government, he announced, is mulling plans to teach the media education curriculum in schools in the next academic year, and make it a mandatory basic course at universities.

The government is also working on designing training programs in partnership with a number of associations and institutions, such as the Royal Health Awareness Society (RHAS), UNICEF and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), to train journalism and media graduates in Jordanian universities on media, health awareness, campaign management, and tourism media, Dudin told the attendees.