Be abreast of emerging trends, Education Ministry’s PR Head charges colleagues

The Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Larry George Botchway, has charged public relations (PRs) and communications officers (COs) of the ministry to be abreast of emerging trends of mis and disinformation in order to give people authentic information.

“PR and COs of the Ministry must stay ahead and this can only be achieved by being proactive with information gathering and dissemination,” he added.

Mr Botchway threw the challenge at the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop for PRs and COs of the Ministry of Education and its agencies.

The training programme, organised by the Ministry of Education, was to help equip PRs and COs with the tools, knowledge and skills they needed to adapt to the changing communication landscape.

He appealed to them to continuously equip themselves with the requisite knowledge and skills that would enable them to function effectively in the ever-changing communication landscape.

Leveraging on AI

Mr Botchway said the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and sophistication in the digital environment made it even more imperative for PR/COs managing public information to be abreast of the communications landscape in order to make their roles relevant.

“As the voice of the ministry and its agencies, our work is critical in shaping public understanding and trust in the education sector. Our role is key in building trust, ensuring transparency and promoting the ministry’s policies and programmes,” he emphasised.

A public relations lecturer at the University of Media Arts and Communications-Institute of Journalism (UNIMAC-IJ), Dr Ike Tandoh, emphasised the need for PR practitioners to leverage AI in this era of mis and disinformation. 

Disinformation

He said PR professionals must adapt to the changing landscape, where traditional methods of writing press releases and rejoinders were becoming less effective, stressing that “many communicators often misinform the public due to their failure to research facts before communicating.”

According to him, the lack of preparation and research often led to inaccurate information, causing fear, panic and unnecessary public attention.

He further pointed out that some communicators intentionally spread disinformation, unaware of the consequences of their actions.

“To be efficient in today's digital age, communicators need to familiarise themselves with data analytics, social media analytics and the digital space. This knowledge will enable them to choose the right channels to address issues and combat misinformation effectively,” he added.