Ethiopia

Top Moscow University Pondering a Branch Campus

The Ethiopian Herald reports that one of Russia’s most prestigious universities is interested in the possibility of establishing a branch campus in Ethiopia. According to a communiqué from the Ethiopian Embassy in Moscow sent to the Ethiopian News Agency, Moscow State University has plans to establish connections with institutions in Africa and a specific interest in Ethiopia. Over 50 Ethiopians have graduated from graduate-level programs at Moscow State University.

— The Ethiopian Herald
    Oct. 4, 2006

Ghana

UK and Netherlands Support Ghanaian Education

The United Kingdom and the Netherlands have signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Ghana to provide US$230million in support of a ten-year strategic education plan. The ten-year plan seeks to improve primary and secondary school enrollment, gender parity in education, quality of teaching and improved management of school districts.  The British and Dutch governments had previously contributed US$190million toward Ghanaian efforts to meet Education for All and Fast Track Initiative goals which would see every child in Ghana receiving a free primary education by 2015 (see next article).

— Ghanaian Chronicle
    Aug. 11, 2006

Dramatically Increased Enrollments Present Challenges

Record numbers of Ghanaian children have been enrolled for basic education since school fees were scrapped last year, which is presenting problems for education officials who are now turning community centers and churches into schools in an effort to accommodate demand. The removal of school fees is part of Ghana's ongoing effort to boost enrollment and make education accessible to a larger section of the population, in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals for education.

There was a Ghana-wide increase in enrollment last year of more than 616,000 pupils, equaling a 16.6 percent rise in the first through ninth grade levels. Now the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport says there is an extra need throughout the country for 17,000 teachers and 13,400 classrooms. The government is getting some help from outside agencies. The World Bank for example is administering a $US11 million grant that will be used to construct 150 new three-unit classrooms, rehabilitate 100 existing classroom blocks and provide new textbooks, tables and chairs. The money will also be used to recruit and train more than 17,000 teachers, which the government hopes will bring the pupil-to-teacher ratio down to its target of 35 to 1.

Ghana had a net primary school enrollment of 69 percent in the 2005/06 academic year, up from 59 percent the previous year. Adult literacy stands at 54 percent. The government has asked leaders of churches and community centers to make their buildings available for temporary classrooms. Teaching outdoors has not been ruled out. To compound the challenges facing the education system, secondary school teachers across the country are currently striking over pay and benefits. The strike is affecting 360,000 senior secondary students nationwide.

— UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
    Oct. 11, 2006

Nigeria

Universities Focus on Developing ICT Courses

Nigeria’s National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced a plan to develop the quality and infrastructure of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the nation’s universities. According to a memo released in August by an NUC special commission on ICT development, certain universities such as Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Lagos and University of Jos were further advanced in their technological capabilities and course offerings while other institutions lagged far behind. The NUC scheme will improve the web pages, virus protection and Internet capability for all universities in order to encourage Internet e-learning as well as improve the accountability and overall quality control of ICT programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

— Vanguard
    Sep. 5, 2006

Yobe-based University Approved

The National Universities Commission (NUC) in October approved Nigeria’s 78th university. Bukar Abba Ibrahim University in Yobe State commences academic activities with the current academic year in 16 undergraduate programs to be run and coordinated in 16 departments and 4 faculties (Arts and Islamic Studies, Faculty of Law, Management and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education and Faculty of Science). There will be an original enrollment of 500 undergraduate students, with the number of full-time students expected to increase to 3,600 after 10 years and 10,800 at full maturity.

— Daily Champion
Oct. 9, 2006

Rwanda

Oxford and Cambridge Administer Courses in Rwanda

In January, Kigali Anglican University will begin to offer educational courses provided by Oxford and Cambridge universities in England. According to Dr. Humphrey Oborah, head of Missions and Curriculum Management for the two universities in East Africa, the new education courses will give Rwandans the opportunity to attain an English caliber education without having to travel overseas. The Cambridge course offerings will follow a modular model that allow students to shape their academic experience according to their previous level of education, beginning with more familiar studies and progressing into more advanced subject matter, including postgraduate coursework. Oxford and Cambridge have successfully offered similar academic programs at education centers in Nairobi, Kenya.

— The New Times
    Sep. 17, 2006

E-schools Initiative Officially Launched in Rwanda

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) launched in October its e-Schools Project in Rwanda, making the country the sixth beneficiary of the scheme. Officially launched in 2003 at the Africa Summit of the World Economic Forum in Durban, the NEPAD e-Schools Project focuses on providing end-to-end ICT solutions connecting schools across Africa to the NEPAD e-Schools network and the Internet.

The Rwandan project was launched at six schools, and it is hoped that within ten years all schools in partner countries will benefit from the satellite network project. The project has already been launched in Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho and Kenya, while other countries set to benefit are Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa.

— The New Times
    Oct. 4, 2006

South AFrica

Reform of Vocational Programs to Bridge Gap between Technical Sector and University

In January a new curriculum will be launched at South African further education and training (FET) colleges that will allow for a smooth transition between school, FET colleges and higher education, it is hoped.

The new curriculum will not give rise to post-secondary qualifications, as they do currently, but rather senior school-level qualifications. Students graduating from ninth grade will be able to choose whether to continue in the academic stream or go to an FET college and enter the vocational/technical senior secondary stream. Students who graduate at the end of three years of training will be awarded a National Senior Certificate (Vocational).

Meanwhile, the education department is working on making the curriculum acceptable to Higher Education South Africa (Hesa), the umbrella body for South Africa's universities and universities of technology. Penny Vinjevold, the department's FET deputy director-general, has said that 18 of the 29 school subjects to be offered are to be accepted for entrance to degree study.

After years of neglect, FET colleges have recently been receiving generous funding from the government after it recognized that FET colleges provide the best avenue for training the skilled technical manpower the country desperately needs. Each new program will consist of seven subjects: mathematics or mathematics literacy, a language and life skills, plus four subjects tied to the occupation for which the student wants to be trained.

— Business Day
Oct. 11, 2006

Sudan

US Institution Creates Scholarships for Sudanese Students

Over the last two years, nearly 30 universities in the United States — from Yale to the University of Washington — have elected to participate in a campaign to protest the ongoing conflict in Sudan by divesting their pension funds from companies that do business in the North African country. George Washington University (GWU) in the American capital Washington D.C. has decided to take an alternative approach to aiding progress in the Sudan by deciding against divestment and instead electing to create a scholarship fund for Sudanese students. GWU will make available US$200,000 over the next four years to finance tuition, books and other expenses for Sudanese students wishing to undertake studies at the institution. According to GWU President Joel Trachtenberg, the program follows a policy that is “constructive and not destructive.”

— Inside Higher Ed
    Oct. 3, 2006

Zimbabwe

Chinese Language Institute Opens Doors

The Confucius Institute, a Chinese language institute and diplomatic venture similar to the UK’s British Council, has established its 85th branch worldwide at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ). Over recent years the two countries have developed positive bilateral relationships in trade, educational and cultural exchange. The Chinese government donated US$100,000 to build the new language institute along with the assistance of UZ. According to Stan Mudenge, Zimbabwean Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, there are plans to implement Chinese language training courses at the university’s Management Training Bureau and he hopes to expand higher education ties between the two nations even further by linking specific university programs with those at institutions in China.

— People's Daily Online
    Aug. 31, 2006

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