IGIHE

Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

  • Kenya receives Sh8.8bn to boost education

    {A Sh8.84 billion grant has been secured to improve and strengthen education in the country.
    }

    The first tranche of Sh407 million from the Global Partnership for Education will go to 1,357 schools in 27 counties.

    The multilateral partnership gives education to children in the world’s poorest nations.

    A total of 4,000 schools in all 47 counties will be covered in the four-year project until March 2018 under the World Bank-supervised Kenya primary education development project (Priede).

    {{NUMBER OF SCHOOLS}}

    In an advertisement in the government newspaper, My.Gov on Tuesday, the schools will have to adhere to management and accountability requirements.

    According to the advert, the funding will go to 131 schools in Nakuru County and 120 in Murang’a as will 95 in Homa Bay.

    In Taita-Taveta, 93 schools have been singled out in the first phase and 85 in Meru.

    Counties with the least schools in the first phase are Tana River, with five, Nairobi and Marsabit (12), Wajir (15) and Samburu (19).

    “Each school will receive a grant of $5,000 (Sh500,000) in two tranches,” reads the ad by the Principal Secretary, State Department for Basic Education.

    {{LITERACY LEVELS}}

    The first tranche will be given out based on the school’s categorisation following findings of the recent school-based risk audit.

    In 2016, the government distributed 4.8 million textbooks to more than 20,000 primary schools under the Tusome Project in a bid to improve literacy in Standard One and Two.

    According to the ministry, eight firms have been recruited to train 4,000 school teams on school improvement plans.

    About 4,000 head teachers and 8,000 boards of management have also been sensitised on teachers performance appraisal development.

    Recently, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said private schools will be included in Tusome and Priede.

    “As we prepare to print the second copies of the book of Priede, we want to see how we can work with you and how children in our private schools will benefit from the methodology and contents from the curriculum delivered from these concepts,” said Dr Kipsang at the close of the 20th annual conference for private school managers in Mombasa.

    Kenya Private Schools Association chairperson Mutheu Kasanga had complained that private schools had been unfairly left out of the two developments.

    Class Eight pupils of Nabongo Primary School in Kakamega sit for a Kiswahili exam on March 14, 2017. The government has received money for the advancement of the sector.

    Source:Daily Nation

  • WB advises Dar on economy

    {As the economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to recover to 2.6 per cent, the World Bank has advised Tanzania to invest in both soft and hard infrastructure for a better investment climate and economic growth.}

    The World Bank said in its latest report ‘Africa’s Pulse’ launched on Wednesday that economic growth was seen expanding to 2.6 per cent this year and further to 3.2 per cent in 2018 and 3.5 per cent a year later.

    This was said yesterday by the World Bank chief economist for Africa, Albert Zeufack, during a teleconference while launching the report from the banks headquarters in Washington. “It is time to focus on both soft and hard traditional infrastructure bearing in mind that its efficiency matters a lot, it is also important to invest smartly on them,” he noted.

    Mr Zeufack further said Tanzania was among the seven African countries that continued exhibiting economic resilience, supported by domestic demand posting annual growth rates above 5.4 per cent in 2015- 2017.

    Other African countries are Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Rwanda and Senegal. These countries house nearly 27 per cent of the region’s population and account for 13 per cent of the regions total gross domestic product (GDP) Hard infrastructure includes roads, bridges and railways while soft infrastructure is human capital and institutions that cultivate it, such as community colleges and universities.

    He further said telecommunication infrastructure has improved dramatically in Sub- Saharan Africa, the number of fixed and mobile phone lines per 1,000 people increased from three in 1990 to 736 in 2014 and the number of internet users per 100 people increased from 1.3 in 2005 to 16.7 in 2015.

    An economics lecturer at Mzumbe University, Prof Prosper Ngowi, said it was important for Tanzania to focus on soft infrastructure as the value transacted in that was much bigger than cargo transported in hard infrastructure.

    The bank said the 2016 growth was the worst for the region in more than two decades, hurt by poor performance in Angola, Nigeria and South Africa, though Mali and Ivory Coast grew by more than six per cent. Mr Zeufack said tackling infrastructure was the key to stability.

    Only 35 per cent of Africans have access to electricity which is the lowest among developing countries and that road density on the continent was also the lowest in the world.

    “Risks to growth could occur if there is a slippage on reforms, heightened security concerns and policy uncertainty, leading to a sudden stop in investments,” Zeufack said.

    Source:Daily News

  • RDF conducts workshop on lessons learned from peacekeeping operations

    {Rwanda Defence Force in collaboration with United States of America Government, through the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program, is conducting a two day Workshop on lessons learned from peacekeeping operations.

    The workshop held at RDF HQS was officially opened on 20 April 2017, by Maj Gen J Musemakweli, the Army Chief of Staff, on behalf of the RDF Chief of Defence Staff.}

    In his remarks, Gen Musemakweli urged participants to share the rich experiences gained from their respective completed tours of duty, be it under UNAMID,UNMISS, MINUSCA or UNISFA. ”Such experiences, will ultimately constitute important lessons learned and best practices to be integrated in pre-deployment training package and future conduct of Peace Support Operations”, the Army COS underscored.

    He further thanked the US Government for supporting the RDF through the ACOTA program in pre-deployment training and consistently participating in lessons learned workshop sessions.

    Maj Heather Okemu, chief of security cooperation at US Embassy in Rwanda commended RDF for its outstanding performance in Peacekeeping, and particularly for high discipline and professionalism showcased by RDF troops in missions abroad.

    The Lessons learned Workshop has become an annual practice for the RDF together with Partners in PSO pre-deployment training.

    The forum discusses issues pertaining to pre-deployment training, force generation and staffing, discipline of troops, mission working documents and operational challenges, among others.

    Source:Minadef

  • MINUSCA head office commends Rwanda Level Two Hospital

    {Ambassador Christine Kapalata has hailed Rwanda Level Two hospital serving under United Nations United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) for its standard in terms of medical equipment and personnel. She made the comment after touring the Hospital at Bria on 12 April 2017 in Bria, Eastern Central African Republic.}

    “I am happy with the high standard of Rwanda Level two hospital equipped with high standard professional equipment, but this doesn’t surprise me because what Rwanda’s leadership commits to do, it does it successfully. This ensured me that the UN Staff serving here receives high quality of health care”, she commented in the visitor’s book at Rwanda Level Two Hospital Headquarter.

    Under the United Nations standards, Level Two Hospital should have the capacity of treating up to 40 ambulatory out patients per day, provide three intensive care beds, stabilize and evacuate a casualty for evacuation to the next level of medical care among others.

    The Commandant of Rwanda Level two hospital in MINUSCA, Col Dr John Byimana after a guided tour of the hospital different services, presented to Ambassador Kapalata the committed team of medical personnel of Rwanda Level two Hospital providing health care to MINUSCA Peacekeepers and UN staff in CAR.

    The visit of the UN Head Office in Eastern CAR ended with planting a souvenir tree at Rwanda Level Two Hospital in Bria, Central African Republic.

    Source:Minadef

  • Sayinzoga Jean laid to rest

    {Sayinzoga Jean, former Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission chairman was yesterday laid to rest in Rusororo cemetery in Gasabo district. }

    The funeral was attended by relatives, friends and government officials including First Lady Jeannette Kagame, Premier Anastase Murekezi, ministers, senators and parliamentarians among others.

    The burial was preceded by a mass at Regina Pacis Parish in Remera sector of Gasabo district, Kigali city.

    His daughter Betty Sayinzoga said that her father prohibited them from eulogizing his academic status.

    “He firstly asked us not to reveal his academic status because he would not be going to seek for a job. Don’t reveal it because knowledge is not attending schools. Secondly, no one should dare revealing the number of children I beget. I didn’t select. All children I beget and brought up are mine,” he said.

    His daughter reiterated that the third request from her father was to lay him to rest without grief as he lived happily.

    “He would return from burial of his colleagues and tell me, please don’t cry for me in such a way when I die,” she said.

    The burial was preceded by a night vigil on Wednesday to celebrate his achievements where traditional songs of Rujindiri, whom he liked the most were played.

    Sayinzoga played Karate for 40 years on a daily basis. He introduced Karate in Burundi and Rwanda and was the only Rwandan holding 6th Dan grade in the game.

    The president of Rwanda Federation of Karate (FERWAKA) recalled Sayinzoga’s bravery applying Karate techniques to combat thieves in Burundi.

    The Minister of Local Government, Francis Kaboneka praised Sayinzoga for his acts during his leadership as village leader for 14 years and Chairman of RDRC.

    “Some people consider village leadership as a job for unemployed people. He however posted his candidacy and elected village leader. His village had good organization with security and hygiene. It even moved fast in development that others perceived it as a model,” he said.

    Sayinzoga died aged 75 at King Faisal Hospital where he succumbed to liver cancer on Sunday.

  • 20 Rwandans arrested in Uganda for illegal entry

    {Over 20 Rwanda nationals have been arrested in Kabale over illegal entry in Uganda. }

    According to Elly Maate, the Kigezi regional police spokesperson, the suspects were arrested after police intercepted a bus they were travelling in around 1:00pm on Wednesday in Kabale municipality.

    Maate said all the suspects did not have travel documents and identification.

    The suspects were heading to Kampala from Kabale aboard Baby Coach bus, registration number UAM 897C.

    Maate warned transport operators to avoid dealing with unknown people since they do not have clear intensions and can be harmful to community.

    “Our transporters should avoid dealing with unknown people because our country is seriously aiming at security improvement,” said Maate.

    Amuza Mugume, the Assistant manager Baby Coaches Kabale said that they allowed these passengers to get on board after they had paid their fees to travel to Kampala like all passengers.

    “I received their payment like any other passenger, little did I know that they were living illegally in Uganda,” said Mugume.

    Some of the suspects intercepted at Kabale.

    Source:The New Vision

  • Community efforts paying off in Gicumbi as seized narcotics worth Rwf25 million are destroyed

    {Intensified police and community efforts to break the chain of illicit drugs supply in Gicumbi District have continued to pay off with psychotropic substances worth over Rwf25 million seized in the last three months. }

    The illicit gins, which were destroyed on April 19, include 8620 liters of crude gin commonly known as Kanyanga, 2615 dozens of Chief Waragi, 16841 sachets of Zebra Waragi, and 6405 Sachets of African Gin.

    Others include 1387 Sachets of Real Waragi, 4644 Sachets of Kick Waragi, 1170 Sachets of Kitoko, 2703 Sachets of Blue Sky, 1356 Sachets of Vodka and 88 packets of khat.

    All the seized and destroyed gin, majority packed in banned plastic bags, are classified as narcotic drugs in Rwanda due to their alcoholic content that exceeds 45% national maximum standard as specified under article 24 on the law governing narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors in Rwanda.

    While addressing over 1000 residents at an event to destroy the substances held in Cyumba Sector, the mayor of Gicumbi, Juvenal Mudaheranwa lauded the role residents continue to play in the campaign against drugs.

    He spoke at length about the impact of drug abuse and appealed to them to maintain and enhance the spirit of partnership with security organs to combat the vice.

    “Make security equally your daily responsibility, like development. Your prosperity in your business and your safety in whatever you do depend on the state of available security. These drugs are the obstacle to the harmony of families, influence users to commit theft, sexual harassment, and worse still, it has in some cases led to manslaughter or murder. Put a red line on that by reporting any drug dealer to police,” he said.

    Gicumbi is said to be one of the main transit routes for drug dealers. In an effort to reverse the trend, residents in all the 21 sectors of Gicumbi have since created anti-drugs clubs in all the 21 sectors of Gicumbi.

    The District Police Commander, Chief Supt. Dan Ndayambaje, hailed the impact that these clubs and the residents in general, have played in the breaking chains of supply.

    “The community policing role you play as Rwandans through your various social groups, and strengthened information sharing has mainly been force behind fighting drug trafficking,” the DPC said.

    “This is the result of your strong cooperation and ownership to ensure your own safety and security. These are the same psychotropic substances that fuel most conflicts and crimes such as gender based violence, child abuse, assault and even parents who abandon their family responsibilities and spend most of the time consuming these substances,” said Chief Supt. Ndayambaje.

    “We believe this partnership will drive the general goal of breaking the chain of supply through timely sharing of information,” he added.

    In January this year, other contrabands worth over Rwf23.9 million were seized and destroyed in Gicumbi before others valued at Rwf36 million were also seized and destroyed in the following month.

    Source:Police

  • Low-fat dairy linked to lower tendency towards depression

    {People who consume low-fat milk and yogurt, rather than whole-fat dairy products, are less likely to have depression, according to researchers in Japan and China.}

    Dairy consumption has long been linked to a wide range of physical health benefits, but its effect on emotional health has remained unclear. Now, a new study published in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology reveals that people who consume low-fat dairy products may be less prone to depression

    Professor Ryoichi Nagatomi of Tohoku University and colleagues in Japan and China investigated the association between whole and low-fat dairy consumption and depressive symptoms such as exhaustion, sadness, anxiety, helplessness and hopelessness. This is the first study to consider different components of dairy products (whole fat and low fat) and the occurrence of depression.

    The study involved 1,159 Japanese adults between the ages of 19 and 83. There were 897 men and 262 women, of which 31.2% and 31.7% respectively, were depressed.

    The researchers asked the participants in a questionnaire how often they consumed whole- or low-fat milk or yogurt. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the self-rating depression scale, which consists of 20 questions and is a tool to distinguish people with and without depression.

    The result showed that people who consumed low-fat dairy products between one and four times a week are less depressed. The correlation remained even after considering other critical factors such as age, sex, health status, nutrition status and life style.

    The study found no association between whole-fat milk consumption and depressive symptoms. The researchers speculate that this is because trans-fatty acid contained in whole fat milk, which is associated with depression, cancelled out the anti-depressive effect of another milk component, tryptophan.

    The researchers note that since this was a cross-sectional study that analyzed a population at a single point in time, it could not explain what actually caused such outcomes. Other dairy products, such as cheese and butter, were not included in the study. It is also unclear whether milk or yogurt had a stronger influence. Further studies are necessary to confirm and clarify the causality of the findings.

    Source:Science Daily

  • Kayonza: Mayor urges financial institutions to step-up security

    {The Mayor of Kayonza District, Innocent Hakizakumeza has asked heads of financial institutions to heighten security at their premises to further prevent the possibility of robberies.}

    He also urged private security companies in the district to up their professional standards.

    The mayor made the call on April 18, during a consultative meeting with bank officials and managers of security companies operating in Kayonza.

    The meeting which brought together about 30 participants aimed at devising means of streamlining security at all commercial banks and micro-finance institutions to close all loop holes.

    Hakizakumeza noted such gaps as having few security guards and ill-motivated and less vigilant security staff.

    “We see at some financial institutions one or two guards, some standing in an idle manner, this is unprofessional,” said the mayor.

    Present at the same meeting was the acting District Police Commander, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) John Nsazimana, who reechoed the mayor’s call about “alertness.”

    He noted professionalism goes with continuos training, and inspection to ensure that every security personnel is up to the task.

    The DPC further appealed to heads of commercial institutions to also take precaution and acquire security gadgets including installing CCTV cameras and alarm systems.

    Source:Police

  • Musanze: Police sensitize motorcyclist, cyclists on road safety

    {As part of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) outreach programmes to prevent accidents and further improve road security, Police in Musanze District conducted a road safety awareness campaign on April 19, urging commercial motorcyclists and cyclists to abide by traffic rules.}

    In a meeting held in Busogo Sector, the sector Executive Secretary Edward Twagirimana reminded close to 300 motorcyclists and cyclists to always put their lives forward and that of others, by respecting roadside signs.

    “We cannot let accidents be part of our daily lives. That is why we consider awareness on road safety as significant and a continuous process,” he said.

    He urged them to forge a close partnership and report any criminal act to the police.

    The meeting was also attended by the District Community Liaison Officer (DCLO) Inspector of Police (IP) Viateur Ntiyamira and the in-charge traffic, Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Richard M Rafiki.

    The DCLO tutored motorcyclists and cyclists on road safety signs and urged to respect zebra crossing, pedestrian pathways, avoid speeding and dangerous maneuvers.

    Speaking about Zebra Crossings, IP Ntiyamira reminded them that a zebra crossing typically gives priority rights of way to pedestrians.

    He added that road safety means each and everyone having knowledge on safe usage of the road and the meaning of signposts.

    IP Ntiyamira reminded them that pavements were constructed entirely for pedestrians and that riding on them contravenes road safety standards.

    “As we aspire for a sustainable and peaceful country, let every road user promote self-discipline as their duty to the nation,” he added.

    “When you are using the road, remember there are other people also using it. Bad maneuvers and speeding leave your lives and that of other road users in danger,” he said.

    The majority of the accidents involving motorcyclists and cyclist are due to speeding, and recklessness.

    Source:Police