NMG, teachers’ union sign free e-paper deal
What you need to know:
- Although the agreement was between NMG and the Kenya National Union of Teachers, Mr Wilson Sossion, the union’s secretary-general, emphasised that it was open to all registered teachers.
More than 300,000 registered teachers will have access to the Nation Media Group’s newspapers for a month, Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gitagama said yesterday.
“I am glad to announce that we will be giving our teachers 30 days’ free subscription to our e-papers, and they will access all the papers online,” he said.
“NMG has worked closely with teachers over the years because the media business and teaching are related. Teachers belong to us, and we belong to them,” Mr Gitagama added.
He said after a month, NMG would review the teachers’ interest and give them a special subsidised rate of Sh20 per newspaper.
“This will be very significant at this particular time of the [Covid-19] pandemic, when teachers are at home and schools closed. They will continue being informed until schools reopen,” he said.
The NMG has special education products, including Junior Spot and Young Nation, as well as KCPE and KCSE past papers, a Swahili hub in Tanzania and Taifa Leo.
“As NMG, we are delighted to enter into this partnership that will allows us to deliver an assortment of unique and high- quality content to Knut’s 180,000 members. This comes at a time when the e-paper has moved to a new platform, so that teachers can have access to information comfortably on any device,” Mr Gitagama said.
Although the agreement was between NMG and the Kenya National Union of Teachers, Mr Wilson Sossion, the union’s secretary-general, emphasised that it was open to all registered teachers.
Mr Sossion said over the last 50 years, teachers and NMG have had a great working relationship.
“Teachers formed part of the active institutions of social justice before independence, and they were well covered by NMG. All the data in our archives strongly indicate a well-formed partnership between us and NMG,” he said.
“We always negotiate good things for all registered teachers and therefore, this is to connect all teachers with the power of information,” Mr Sossion said
He said the offer of free access to the e-papers was timely, given the great role technology is playing in the world.
“This is going to be the most interactive product to be accessed by the teachers all over the country, and through our traditional calling as teachers, we remain the agents of change globally,” Mr Sossion said.
Through the teachers, Mr Sossion said, the NMG will be able to reach the many people in the community and families.
He urged all the teachers to subscribe to the online product on https://newsstand.nationmedia.com in order to access the Daily Nation, Business Daily, The East African and Taifa Leo.
“We owe it to our teachers and I want to believe that the process is going to make our teachers better. Continuous capacity building of teachers is key and this has to be taken forward after the 30 days elapse,” he said.
Meanwhile NMG Editorial Director Mutuma Mathiu said since the company was formed, it’s largest audience had been teachers.
“The online product is a strengthening of the connection between the two parties. It is going to offer teachers a more experienced, confident and easy read,” Mr Mathiu said.
