Any secondary school student (between 14-19 years old) can join this news service as a reporter after successfully completing the PEARL World Youth News Reporter Certification Course.

The course, which is available online and free of cost, aims to help students get started as international correspondents for the global youth news service. Students are asked to do three assignments as part of the course to demonstrate that they have  understood the reading materials. Their assignments are reviewed by students and alumni from the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University in New York City, US.

After successfully completing the course and getting their first story published on this website, students receive a certificate from us. They also get the opportunity to meet PEARL Reporters from different countries and work together to report stories on issues that they care about.

If you are a secondary school school student interested in taking the certification course or if you'd like to view the course materials, please contact

Students who have registered for the course can log in here.