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| September/October 2004 | Volume
17, Issue 5 |
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PRACTICAL
INFORMATION REGIONAL
NEWS FEATURE BOOK
REVIEW WES
IN THE NEWS
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Regional
News
Africa
KENYA10 Degree Programs Scrapped The board has also resolved to establish a committee to work with private and public industry to gain a better understanding of their human resource needs. It is hoped universities would then be able to provide programs more relevant to the employment needs of the country. —
The
East African Standard LIBERIAUniversity Woes Continue as Hopes for Future Outlined
The acting president and longtime servant of the country’s only public university, James Kollie, has been asked to resign by the board of trustees to make way for Al Hassan Conteh, who was appointed by Chairman of the Transitional Government of Liberia Gyude Bryant. Faculty have fiercely protested Conteh’s appointment and are threatening to walk out if the decision is not reversed. Kollie’s dismissal also resulted in a weekend of violence on campus by students determined to block Conteh’s appointment. Despite the protests, Bryant stood by his decision, explaining that Conteh has the necessary contacts to forge partnerships with prestigious universities and also to bring in much-needed funds from abroad. As the confusion and turbulence over the presidency continued in late September, Conteh revealed his plans for the revival of the university. He said he would host a two-day conference at the University of Pennsylvania in January to gain financial support for improving the university’s physical and academic infrastructure. Conteh said one of his top priorities is to set up an endowment fund and rally support from other universities around the world, particularly in the United States.
— The
Analyst NIGERIALength of Education Degree Program to Be Extended
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Nigeria
First NUC Bars Admission to Degree Programs
The affected programs are: Delta State University Abraka – accounting, banking/finance, business administration, marketing, English, French, forestry and wildlife management and geology; Ibadan University – Igbo studies; University of Abuja – computer science and statistics; University of Ado – French, civil engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering; University of Jos – African traditional religion; Abia State University – library science, education, English, social studies and government; Enugu State University of Science and Technology – education, integrated science, food science and technology; University of Calabar – special education. —
This
Day RWANDAAgreement Signed With Nigeria
Rwandan Minister of Education Romain Murenzi stated that the sector would especially appreciate help with the establishment of a National Commission for Higher Education, a National Science and Vocational Authority and a National Institute for Education Development of distance learning programs for teachers. —
This
Day SOUTH AFRICANew Textbooks, New History, New Reality
The books will change the way history is taught at schools and are part of a broader Department of Education plan to revitalize learning of South African history and end the teaching of what Business Day describes as propaganda. Education officials note the six textbooks provide a contextual framework, which was missing from previous history books. The series includes a book examining the “impact and limitations” of colonialism and one on the apartheid era and another on negotiation, transition and democratic freedom. The federal government does not prescribe textbooks, as this is a provincial task, but it is expected the new textbooks will appear in most of the nation’s classrooms next year. —
Business
Day High Enrollment Exposes Bigger Problems
The Department of Education’s chief director, Ahmed Essop, told Parliament the department is trying to cap higher education enrollments over the next two to three years at the current level of about 720,000 students annually. He conceded, however, that enforcing a cap will be difficult, raising questions of institutional autonomy and whether government has a right to limit enrollments. The problem is not only underfunding but also the number of students failing to graduate due to issues of institutional quality, he said. Of the 600,000 to 700,000 students enrolling annually, only approximately 15 percent graduate – a waste of resources, he said. Deputy Director-General for higher education Nasima Badsha said more resources would have to be dedicated to strengthen quality assurance procedures before addressing the enrollment problem. —
Business
Day
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In line with directives from the 
