Category: Education

Uganda:Janet Museveni fails to convince striking public universities’ non-teaching staff

The First Lady and minister for Education, Janet Kataaha Museveni, backed by four other ministers yesterday failed to convince non-teaching staff of public universities to call off the one-week strike that has paralysed operations

The First Lady and minister for Education, Janet Kataaha Museveni, backed by four other ministers yesterday failed to convince non-teaching staff of public universities to call off the one-week strike that has paralysed operations.

The ministers meeting representatives of non-teaching staff from the public universities disagreed on when the promised salary increment would be implemented and payment of salary arrears accruing from July 2015.

This means the five public universities of Makerere, Busitema, Kyambogo, Gulu and Makerere University Business School (MUBS) will remain closed and that the continuing and new students will not report for the first semester of the academic year.

“We are appealing to government to reconsider their position quickly. The status quo of the industrial action remains. We must keep our tools down. What we want is the consensus note implemented. Failure to do that, we shall keep our tools down,” Mr Jackson Betihamah, the Public Universities’ Non-Teaching Staff Executive Forum (PUNTSEF) chairman, said after the meeting.

PUNTSEF is protesting government’s reneging on its promise to enhance their pay. PUNTSEF says government’s decision to increase pay of only the academic teaching staff was discriminatory.
At yesterday’s meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala, Ms Museveni made a passionate plea to the university staff in vain.

“Those are your children and you must take care of them. If they are not there, you will not get jobs,” Ms Museveni said.
“Let us look at these issues realistically…In two months, your increment will come and let us allow technocrats to study the consensus note. You must allow things to work,” she added.

Ministers Matia Kasaija (Finance), Muruli Mukasa (Public service), Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo (Higher Education) and Rosemary Senninde (Primary Education) were in attendance and equally implored the workers to call off the strike.

Ms Museveni, who was handed the docket of Education, Science, Technology and Sports in the new government in June, also said that she was new in the ministry and needed time to grasp the problems affecting public universities.
“You cannot die because you have not got a consensus note salary scale,” she said.

The consensus salary note signed between her ministry, before she took over the mantle, and the non-teaching was meant to ensure that salaries of non-teaching staff in public universities are at par with salaries of teaching staff.

Finance minister Matia Kasaija had agreed to enhance salaries of non-teaching staff as per the consensus note starting with the second budget quarter which commences in October, attracting ululations from the striking workers.

However, a technocrat from the Ministry of Finance interjected, telling the meeting that the consensus note on the salary scale had not been included in the 2016/2017 budget, dampening the mood again.

“We are going to act on your issues. I have a limited amount of money to be able to meet all the demands. There are roads, security and electricity to attend to,” Mr Kasaija said.
“If I tell you the salary of police officers, you will be surprised. I want to pay your enhancement. I want to assure you, they are coming,” Mr Kasaija said.

It was also revealed that the Ministry of Education used Shs13.5 billion of the Shs28.5 billion meant for salary enhancement of non-teaching staff to kick-start operations of the new universities.

These include Kabale University, Soroti University and Lira University. However, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, the meeting was told, used its internally generated revenue to enhance its non-teaching staff salaries and it is operating normally.

August 9, 2016
MPs query quality of education

Worries of quality education have been raised by parliamentarians as they queried continued employment of foreigners including teachers while many Rwandans remain jobless.

The concern was raised on Wednesday as parliamentarians discussed with four ministries having youth under their docket over programs aimed at enabling the youth to find or create jobs.

The four stakeholders include the Ministry of Youth and ICT, the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Trade and Industry along with other institutions responsible for youth.

“I have a concern related to quality education. Some jobs need recruitment of foreigners to operate in Rwanda including hotels. Why aren’t such jobs offered to Rwandans. It is a matter of quality education,” said one parliamentarian.

“What is the quality of education of our vocational training schools? What is the capacity of their teachers? There are job opportunities but the problem is quality of education,” he added.

Talking on such concerns, the Minister of Education, Dr.Papias Musafiri Malimba said “Regarding the matter of quality education, I would like to consent with parliamentarians for raised concerns. Today a person can’t confirm that Rwanda has commendable quality education competing in the region or internationally.”

Minister Musafiri explained that education quality is a journey.

He said that entrepreneurship skills must be given much emphasis in Rwanda’s education since every course has the potential of creating a job.

“To fill the gap we need to reform teaching methodology and change perceptions, “said Minister Musafiri.

He explained that students should embrace the spirit of competitiveness so they can seek for opportunities beyond Rwanda’s borders.

Teaching methodology, offered courses, available classes, lecturers, competitiveness of students’ acquired knowledge locally or internationally, the way graduates undertake research among other criteria of United Nations Education Fund (UNESCO) are considered in gauging education standards.

August 6, 2016
Mahatma Gandhi University initiates one laptop per student program

Mahatma Gandhi University, a leading University in online and distance education has initiated “one laptop per student” initiative to enhance academic experience and the use of technology in higher education.

The move was officially announced yesterday at Kabuga Campus in Kigali.

Mahatma Gandhi University won several awards including the “excellence in distance education by SOE Global Education”, “best innovation in open and distance learning in the 2012 World Education Summit” and is taking a bold step in providing branded laptop for each student as part of its commitment in advancing the interest of President Paul Kagame’s Vision 2020 in setting ICT as a fundamental pillar of the Country’s strategy for nation-building.

Talking on the initiative, the newly appointed Provost of Mahatma Gandhi University, Dr. Vince Sinining said : “We recognize the cost of investing one laptop per student but this is one of our major corporate social responsibilities to provide our students, most of whom cannot afford to purchase a laptop, access to tools that are necessary in enhancing their academic experience and professional development.”

“We are proud of the investment by our Chancellor, Dr. Rajan Chopra, in purchasing laptops for all our students, and in acquiring this multi-million dollar vast property and facilities here in Kabuga to provide a conducive environment to our students, not only in our online and distance education programs, but in our future face-to-face, on campus programs. We continue to maximize the potential of ICT in providing our students better academic experience as we continue our responsibilities as an institution of higher learning here in Rwanda,” added Dr. Varun Gupta, the Director of Mahatma Gandhi University.

Provost Dr. Vince Sinining also announced the 100 Scholarships from Chancellor Dr. Rajan Chopra that will be awarded to deserving individuals, teachers, government and private sector employees as well as special ICT and skills-based training programs for girls and women.

Uwase Adelphine, the Gasabo district officer in charge of education commended the initiative saying it will acquaint students with wide knowledge especially those who couldn’t afford laptops. She explained that offering laptops matches with government’s program of promoting technology and requested Mahatma Gandhi University to keep up efforts aimed at promoting quality education.

August 4, 2016
New classrooms launched in Nyagatare district

Nyagatare district in collaboration with Rwanda Development Board have launched 12 classrooms at Gatebe School to reduce overpopulated classes.

The school used modern classrooms since 2011 but faced the problem of inadequate classrooms hampering children’ studies.

The 12 classrooms were constructed between 2010 to 2015 under the program of Tourism Revenue Sharing Scheme introduced by RDB to support the population in development activities from earned touristic revenues.

Twizihirwe Diogene, a teacher at Gatebe School said that the new facility will reduce the number of tudents accommodated in one room from 150 to 100.

Today Gatebe School accommodates 1296.

Bumbakare Faustin, the headmaster of Gatebe School commended construction activities but requested support to introduce secondary section to reduce the distance of as long as 16 kilometers that some students walk to access secondary schools.

RBD expects to inaugurate other schools built under Revenue Sharing scheme in Nyamasheke district and Nyabihu district from Western Province.

RDB started sharing 5% of tourism revenues with communities around parks in 2005.
Tourism earned Rwf 318,000,000 in 2015.

Today communities around Virunga National Park receive 40% of tourism revenues allocated to Rwandans while remaining communities receive 60%.

August 4, 2016
Kenya:Students sent home for saying ‘no’ to exams

The decision was arrived at to prevent unrest or destruction of school property.

Five secondary schools in Lamu County have sent some of their students home after they refused to sit for their mock examinations.

The county’s Director of Education, Mr Mwanyoha Ndegwa, said the management of Kizingitini, Siyu, Wiyoni, Witu and Kiongwe secondary schools have been forced to send their Form Three and Four students home.

The decision was arrived at to prevent unrest or destruction of school property. The students refused to sit the exams on the grounds that they were not well prepared to tackle the questions.

Some claimed that the exams had been set on topics that they were yet to cover while others claimed that their teachers had not notified them on when the exams were to begin.

Some of the students who spoke to the Nation and requested anonymity, also said they were not willing to sit the exams because they feared that the results would be used to determine their final score in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam.

However, Mr Ndegwa said the students were simply not prepared and were therefore scared of failing.

“We shall soon summon back the students and their parents and chart a way forward. I expect the Lamu education board to meet this week over the same,” Mr Ndegwa said in a telephone interview.

In a related development, Coast regional coordinator Nelson Marwa on Monday said all public boarding secondary schools at the Coast will be manned by security officers to avert arson attacks.

At the same time, owners of petrol stations in the region have been warned against selling petrol to underage buyers and other suspicious characters.

“Don’t sell petrol to students, probe and confirm what it will be used for. Mere interrogations and amount of petrol bought can reveal their intentions. Report underage buyers to relevant authorities,” said Mr Marwa.

Speaking at his office, Mr Marwa said so far eight students — three from Shimo la Tewa High School, two from Malindi High and two from Lamu — have been arrested as part of the investigations into a fire incident at Kwale High School last Friday.

“The students from Lamu and Malindi have been arraigned in court. Anyone involved will be arrested regardless of their age,” said Mr Marwa.

ELECTRIC FAULT
Meanwhile, police officers in Mombasa County are investigating the circumstances that led to the burning of a dormitory at St Augustine Preparatory School in Tudor, Mombasa on Sunday night.

Police blamed the fire on an electric fault. The same building had also caught fire in 2013.

At least eight pupils were taken to hospital and treated for shock and minor injuries after the 11pm incident.

The fire was quickly contained by the Mombasa County and Kenya Ports Authority fire brigades.

The headteacher, Ms Serah Kessi, said the fire started shortly after the girls were cleared to go to bed.

“The girls had not slept as they had just got to the dormitory shortly after their revision ahead of the exams,” Ms Kessi said.

She said that the school had already made arrangements to accommodate the students until Friday when they will finish their end-of-term examinations.

August 2, 2016
South Africa:Children stranded as medical aids refuse funds for education psychologists

Cape Town – Educational psychologists across the country are still waiting for an answer to why medical aid schemes have withdrawn funding for people needing educational health counselling.

Dr Martin Strous, chairperson of the Educational Psychology Association of South Africa (EPASSA), the largest in SA, told News24 that as many as seven public and private medical aid schemes have refused to pay for the services of his profession since earlier this year.

The list includes the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), which covers all government employees.

The problem arose after the Health Professions Council of SA reclassified the industry’s scope of practice in 2011, differentiating between clinical psychologists, educational psychologists, and counselling etc.

As a result, medical aid schemes have realised they are no longer legally bound to cover the costs of educational psychologists.

Many patients, especially children, have thus been refused medical aid in the process, and are regularly advised to see clinical psychologists instead, who aren’t necessarily specialists in educational health.

Three educational psychologists (EPs) spoke to News24 to discuss how the unexpected change has affected their day-to-day dealings with patients and in their practices.

‘I have to turn kids away’

An EP who runs her own practice in Woodstock, Cape Town, specialises in identifying and treating learning difficulties in children, such as dyslexia.

She asked to remain anonymous for fear of prosecution.

“It’s been extremely stressful. I’ve been submitting to GEMS and all the other funds for four years now and have never had a problem,” she said.

“Then without any warning, they made the decision to no longer pay from June 1.”

She said she made a loss of around R40 000 for work she had already done in May and June.

She chose not to tell the parents that the medical aid would not cover their assessment, and decided to take out a personal loan to cover the short-term loss.

“Parents now contact me almost daily, and the first question I have to ask them is: which medical aid are you on?

“Since this all started I’ve had to turn away 15-20 kids, and those children aren’t getting the help that they need.”

‘70% of my livelihood is gone’

A 64-year-old EP with 36 years’ experience in Port Elizabeth, Gerhardt Goosen, told News24 that he has lost 70% of his livelihood, and fears for the lives of some of his more troubled patients.

“It’s drastic. It’s destructive and it’s not just GEMS, it’s also Polmed [police] and many others.

“My practice itself, about 70% of it is gone. I’m seriously thinking of closing it and retiring. I’m 64, so it will be hard to find another job.”

He also said he received no notification of the change, neither as a practitioner nor as a GEMS client himself.

The poor ‘most affected’

A third EP in Gauteng, who is also the chairperson of the SA School Psychologists Association, said the change has drastically affected NGOs working in the Johannesburg inner city.

“Most of the people who we see are poor, so they come to us. But many of them can’t afford to pay cash for our services,” he said, preferring not give his full name.

Martin Strous of EPASSA believes that the issue needs to be challenged at government level, as the status quo is in breach of the Council for Medical Schemes’ advice.

“What is needed is for the HPCSA’s Professional Board for Psychology, which regulates the profession of psychology, and the Council for Medical Schemes, which regulates medical aids, to act in a way that will stop this injustice,” he told News24.

GEMS responds to claims

Communications executive for GEMS Liziwe Nkonyana responded to News24’s questions around funding last week.

“After careful investigation we have ascertained that there are a number of unresolved issues regarding the interpretation of guidelines impacting the funding of services rendered by educational psychologists,” Nkonyana said via email.

“This however does not mean that these claims are refuted out of hand by GEMS.

“It appears that our managed care and administration partners have for various reasons rejected a number of these claims in recent weeks.”

Nkonyana said GEMS has called for additional information and will be re-assessing the rejected claims.

“We are pleased that this matter was brought to our attention so that we could intervene in order to ensure that the situation is fully resolved.”

HPCSA ‘aware’ of challenges

The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) told News24 on Friday that it is was aware of the current challenges, but that the change in scope was motivated by inadequate regulations.

The 2011 change actually expanded the scope for educational psychologists to include learning and development across a lifespan, and not just in contexts of family, school, social or peer groups, Communications manager Priscilla Sekhonyana told News24.

“The board is aware of the challenges experienced with some medical aids due to their refusal to reimburse educational psychologists, and is interacting with the Psychological Society of South Africa to convene a meeting in order to assist in these challenges.

“Further, communications with some of the medical aids was also undertaken to assist in the challenges.”

Sekhonyana said the Council’s primary mandate was to protect the public and ensure that psychologists are properly trained in their professional category.

A High Court case between psychology association Relpag, the HPCSA and Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi is set down for August in Cape Town.

July 25, 2016
Rwanda researchers hampered by inadequate funding- Gasingirwa

The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has revealed that some Rwanda researchers are discouraged by inadequate funding to effectively carry research despite the importance of research outcomes in addressing such issues climate change.

This was revealed by Dr. Marie- Christine Gasingirwa, the Director of Science, Technology and Research in MINEDUC in a meeting assessing how to uplift capacities aimed at promoting research in energy that brought together some Rwandan researchers and various research experts from Africa and across the World.

She said that Rwanda has researchers but face obstacles of inadequate funding, an issue which has to be addressed.

“They have been connected to financiers to enable them carry out research on the causes and mitigation efforts in climate change and energy,” she said.

With clearly defined early warning systems established through research, it becomes easier to mitigate and adopt resilient approaches to climate change effects.

July 24, 2016
Uganda:27 pupils admitted over suspected food poisoning

At the children’s ward, about eight of the pupils clad in their uniforms laid on the hospital beds while on drip.

About 27 pupils of Kings Kid Primary School, Soroti District have been admitted to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital over alleged food poisoning.

The pupils were rushed this morning (Friday) to the children’s ward and the outpatient department at Soroti hospital where they are being attended to by several doctors and nurses.

At the children’s ward, about eight of the pupils clad in their uniforms laid on the hospital beds while on drip.

Mr James Peter Odeke, the school head teacher told Daily Monitor that the children started feeling stomach upsets and vomiting on Thursday evening, but they were attended to by the school nurse.

He said when their condition worsened, the school management called the hospital administration which advised them to rush the children to the hospital for further medication.

“As we talk now, some of the pupils have been discharged and will be going home with their parents,” Mr Odeke added.

He refuted claims of food poisoning, saying from what the medics have shown them, it is Malaria that had caused stomach upsets and vomiting among the children. Mr Odeke said the affected pupils are in the school’s boarding section especially from primary four to six.

However, a nurse who asked not be named said of all the tests done, there are no confirmatory presence of Malaria parasites in any of the pupils blood.

“I suspect the food that the pupils ate could have caused the stomach upsets and vomiting,” she said, adding that the pupils are recovering.

One of the parents identified as Florence Apio, said she rushed to the hospital only to find that one of the children was her daughter.

“Well I have interacted with the nurses and they tell me, there is no need to worry,” she said, adding after her daughter is discharged, she will have to take her home for further monitoring.

July 23, 2016
Dr. Vince Sinining appointed new provost of Mahatma Gandhi University-Rwanda

Dr. Vince Sinining has been appointed as the new provost of Mahatma Gandhi University – Rwanda.

Talking on appointed duties Dr. Sinining has said “I am honored of the trust and confidence accorded to me by the Chancellor Dr. Rajan Chopra to serve as the chief academic leader of a University known for its commitment to provide innovative programs using the latest technologies.”

“I am excited to work with Chancellor Dr. Chopra and the leadership team led by Director Dr. Varun Gupta to elevate the national and international profile of Mahatma Gandhi University in Rwanda. I am also excited to live here in Kigali, and be part of the government’s efforts of providing the people of Rwanda quality academic experience for the socio-economic development of the country,” he added.

The director of Mahatma Gandhi University, Director Gupta has welcomed Dr. Sinining noting that his experience in education, global leadership, research and sustainable development will help to provide excellent and quality academic experience among the generation of leaders in Rwanda and in the East African Community.

“Dr. Sinining has been a dedicated member of the Mahatma Gandhi University’s faculty team on our graduate online programs, a veteran educator for the last thirty years and an experienced administrator of non-profit, non-governmental organizations,” said Director Gupta.

“He has more than 27 years of academic experience, including 17 years as educator in secondary and tertiary levels in the United States, 9 years as visiting professor in Southeast Asia, and one year in the Pacific Islands.He also served for 10 years as Senior Advisor for Sustainable Development to select member states at the United Nations in New York, and has worked closely with various heads of state and government. He is currently writing his new book on the intricacies of multilateral diplomacy among small states at the United Nations,” he added.

He expressed delightfulness to have Dr. Sinining as the provost as he is expected to ensure the highest standards for students’ academic training.

Dr. Vince Sinining will work with the president, senior management and academic staff members on university-wide collaboration, academic policy and top priorities.

July 21, 2016
EAC mulls uniform tuition for varsity students

A move to charge same tuition fees from East African students is being frustrated by some Community members, Ms Jesca Eriyo, the EAC deputy secretary general in charge of productive and social sectors, has said.

Ms Eriyo was speaking at the opening of the regional meeting, Intra-African Talent Mobility Partnership (TMP) programme, in Kampala yesterday.

She said in addition to free movement, students from EAC partner states are to be treated equally.
“We know that some students from within the region are charged in foreign rates which is contrary to what we agreed upon,” Ms Eriyo said.

Centres of excellence have been identified by the Community to enable students acquire more professionals but Ms Eriyo said this cannot be implemented if countries are still charging different fees.

Mr Kirunda Kivejinja, the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community (EAC) Affairs, said the EAC has made significant strides, including achieving free movement of students from the region.

“The EAC has made some remarkable achievements on the movement of persons and labour key among which are use of National Identification Cards (Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya) as travel documents, use of EAC passports and issuance of gratis students passes, among others,” Mr Kivejinja said.
Mr Kivejinja also emphasised the need for uniform fees in the region.

“If there is a centre for excellence everything has to be the same, except for transport because the objective is to get a concrete mass for East Africa,” Mr Kivejinja emphasised.
In 2014, vice-chancellors from Ugandan universities came out and opposed the proposal for uniform fees, saying Uganda is a free market economy and the matter of fees should be left to individual institutions.

The Intra-African Talent Mobility Programme brings together African States with a major aim of establishing mechanisms and common policies on mobility of professionals, business persons and investors.

July 5, 2016