Student Press

In the field of student press, the participants evaluated the work and future operation of the Asian News Distribution Scheme under the responsibility of Ppmi Indonesia. According to information received from Ppmi, full-scale implementation of this scheme would commence in December 1961. After considering the report of Ppmi, the participants requested Cosec to give all possible technical assistance to the Ppmi for the full-scale implementation of the project. The scheme will serve as a focal point for the receipt and distribution of news items about the activities of National Unions of Students in the Asian region. A monthly newsletter, to be called the Asian Student News, will be produced for the purpose of disseminating such news items. The Asian News Distribution Scheme will serve as an experimental framework of Asian student press co-operation, to be followed by a full-scale press bureau should the present scheme prove successful. The work of the Asian News Distribution Scheme will again be examined at the 10th Isc. The Seminar participants also recommended that National Unions of Students participating in the scheme should undertake the publication of news bulletins at regular intervals for distribution within their own countries.

The participants also considered the student press situation in their respective countries and made general recommendations for its improvement. The Seminar further recommended to the 10th Isc that Cosec be mandated to give technical and all other forms of assistance to the needy National Unions and urged all National Unions to strive for the recognition within their countries of the Code of Ethics and Charter of Student Press Rights.

The Seminar, after hearing a report from the Korean delegation about the student press situation in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in the Seoul National University, expressed its deep concern over the censorship imposed by the College authorities and recommended to the authorities that they immediately cease interference with free and autonomous student press activities on the campus.

Cosec was asked to make an immediate study in conjunction with the Ncusi of India the possibility of inaugurating an Indian student press bureau.

The press working class of the Seminar published two newsletters and an eight-page newspaper called "Mabuhay", which reported on the activities of the Seminar.