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Nov./Dec.
2002
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INFORMATION REGIONAL
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Regional
News
ANGOLANew Tropical Farming Institute Planned
The project is a result of cooperation between Agostinho Neto University and Portugal's Higher Institute of Farming. —
Angola
Press Agency (Luanda) Public University to Expand
The government document states that varsity-level schools of science and technology will be established in a number of provinces. University poles dependent on university centers will be established where such centers are not feasible. —
Angola Press Agency
(Luanda) GHANANew Private University Opens
As well as courses taught on campus the university also offers online courses that are taught by foreign academics. —
Accra Mail
(Accra) KENYACatholic University Grows
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The Nation
(Nairobi) Program Attracts Record Numbers
The new courses, administered by KU's Directorate of Open Learning, are being delivered in modular form via distance learning. KU is also planning a new campus in Nyeri, Central Province. The campus will offer all KU courses, ranging from bridge courses to doctorates. Courses will be taught through a combination of distance-learning methods and on-site lectures. —
The Nation
(Nairobi) Month-Long Strike Ends
The strike resulted from prolonged stalemates between government and teachers. Teachers claimed the government had reneged on its promise to deliver a 150 percent to 200 percent pay raise it awarded to teachers in 1997. The government, which declared the strike illegal, had only implemented part of the deal and said it had no more money to complete the program. Kenya may well see more teachers strikes. While calling off the strike, KNUT Secretary-General Francis Ng'ang'a told teachers to resume work "for the sake of education and students." The announcement followed the signing of a "return-to-work" formula, under which the government promised to implement the contentious pay raise with effect from July 1, 2003. —
East African Standard LIBERIANursing Schools Shuttered
The shuttered schools are: New Hope School of Health Sciences, Liberia College of Technology, Liberia National Red Cross First Aid, St. Martin's College of Career Development, Soko Sackor Nurse Aide Association and Training Institute, Institute of Polytechnic Education, National Training Institute, Basic Skills Training Institute, National Institute of Professional Studies, Professional Institution of Medical Art, Teens Girls In-Development and Voluntary First Aid Association, Tarplah Institute of Medical Arts, West African University College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Sharon J. Byrd School of Nurse Assistants, Jimmi E. International School of Vocation and Goja Inc. Mason Center School of Health. —
The News (Monrovia) MOZAMIQUEBill Would Restructure Higher Education
In 1993, students in the public education system took, on average, seven years to complete the five-year licenciatura that is considered to be halfway between a bachelor's and master's degree. The framework for higher education under the new bill provides for an entirely new polytechnic sector, which initially will run programs lasting one or two years. Universities will offer programs of three or more years in length. Implicit in the bill is a move away from five-year programs. It defines a licenciatura as a four-year program and a bachelor's as a three-year program. A new system of academic credits will be introduced that allows students to transfer credits earned from one institution to another. All courses will be granted credits that count toward the student's final degree. —
Agencia de Informacao
de Mocambique (Maputo) NAMIBIACountry's First Private University to Study AIDS
IUM Chairman David Namwandi said the institution wants to cater to half of all high school graduates who cannot be accommodated at existing higher education institutions. Of the annual 12,000 graduates, roughly 4,000 are admitted to the University of Namibia (Unam) and the Polytechnic of Namibia. Namwandi said IUM is not in direct competition with Unam but complements the roles of other higher education institutions. The school was registered in June 2001 and took over the former Institute of Higher Education. —
The Namibian NIGERIAOverseas Education Trend Spurs Assessment
Speaking at the inauguration of the reconstituted National Standing Committee for the Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications, he said, "The sensitive nature of the task of determining Nigerian equivalents to foreign qualifications presented by returnees from overseas has compelled the government to set up machinery for the assessment and evaluation of these qualifications." Two volumes of a register for foreign equivalencies have been published. According to the minister, the first volume contains information on the educational systems of West European countries and some francophone African countries, as well as American, Asian, East European and Middle Eastern countries. The second volume contains information on academic and professional qualifications from the United Kingdom, some African countries, Canada, Australia, Asia and the Far East. —
This Day (Lagos) Medical College to Receive Accreditation
According to the governor of Lagos state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the medical college is to be equipped with medical equipment from Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Tinubu also spoke about the development of a department of malaria control at the college. —
Vanguard (Lagos) Borishade: Only JAMB Can Hold Admissions Exams
He said until the bill seeking autonomy for the university system is passed into law and assented to by the president, any institution that acts to the contrary would be breaking the law. —
This Day (Lagos) SIERRA LEONELoan, Grant Project to Reform Nonformal Education
ADB said the 'Education III Project' is an emergency response to fill basic education, vocational-skills training and functional literacy needs. It will include the rehabilitation, reconstruction or expansion of 460 primary and 100 junior secondary schools, as well as 40 community education and vocational-training centers. The project will also strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. —
UN Integrated Regional Information
Networks SOUTH AFRICARecruiters Blamed for Severe Medical Staff Shortage
Helped by international recruiting agencies, as many as 3,500 of 26,000 South African doctors are living and working abroad, according to the South African Medical Association. African governments are blaming these agencies for poaching their much-needed medical staff. South Africa has called on wealthy governments to stop recruiting their medical professionals. The Commonwealth, a body of 54 former British colonies and territories, has addressed the issue of poaching, and some countries have agreed to not recruit staff directly from the developing world. Britain, however, in an attempt to reduce long waiting lists at National Health Service hospitals, continues to bring in doctors from abroad on a temporary basis. The United States, which does not have a nationalized health system, cannot prohibit hospitals and universities from recruiting overseas. Despite the government's struggle to keep its medical staff, South Africa's situation is not nearly as severe as many of its neighbors. There are only 400 registered doctors in Zambia, and many of Zimbabwe's medical professionals are leaving because of increasing political instability and deepening economic recession. Reports from Kenya indicate that there are only 600 practicing dentists left in the country. —
Christian Science Monitor
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said it will take five years to complete the proposed mergers of higher education institutions. The plan to reduce the country's 36 universities and technikons to 21 is outlined in the National Plan for Higher Education, which was approved by the Cabinet in May 2002. The restructuring, according to a report by the South Africa Universities Vice Chancellors Association, would will cost an estimated R3.6 billion (US$360 million) over the five years. —
BuaNews
(Pretoria) Ethnic Languages Gain Stature in Higher Education
The ministry said the promotion of a common sense of nationhood drove the effort. According to the government, the framework is consistent with the values of democracy, social justice and fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution. English will be the primary, but not sole, language of instruction. The importance of Afrikaans as a medium of academic expression is also acknowledged with a commitment to ensure its capacity will not be "eroded." —
BuaNews
(Pretoria) SUDANUniversity Closes Amid Student Unrest
Clashes erupted Nov. 13 between rival groups of students at two campuses of Sudan's leading university. Students had led a strike that closed five university departments since Oct. 22, when police forcibly broke up a student celebration. They were marking the 35th anniversary of a popular upheaval that overthrew the military dictatorship of Ibrahim Aboud. The strike continued with student accusations of police brutality, which the authorities have promised to investigate. —
AFP UGANDAGulu University Opens
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New Vision (Kampala) ZIMBABWEExams Cancelled as Lecturers Strike
In a November statement from professor Graham Hill, vice chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe, end-of-semester examinations were cancelled in courses where three weeks or more of teaching had been lost due to the strike. Arrangements will be made to hold the examinations at the beginning of the second semester. A government ultimatum required lecturers to return to work by Nov. 6 or risk facing unspecified disciplinary action. Some of the lecturers defied the ultimatum and said they would continue with their industrial action until the government supplied written evidence that their salaries will be adjusted. —
The Daily News
(Harare)
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Graduate courses in tropical farming are expected to start in Southern
Huila province in 2003. A school will be created with support from the
Portuguese government as part of existing bilateral cooperation with Angola.
Educators from both countries will teach at the new institute.