The latest news and highlights in higher education from Africa

IN THIS ISSUE

• National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding applications open
• NZA Unions call off GO-SLOW
• Rukwa Receives 6.64bn/ for the Construction of Classrooms
• BioNTech to open first vaccine hub in Rwanda

The True State of South Africa’s Schools

South Africa has one of the most unequal school systems in the world. The gap in test scores between the top 20% and the rest is wider than in almost every other country. The state of the worst schools is certainly a cause for concern. According to the department of education’s 2018 statistics, out of 23,471 public schools, 20,071 have no laboratory, 18,019 have no library, while 16,897 have no internet, 239 have no electricity, and 37 have no sanitation facilities at all.

What’s interesting to note, however, is that schools don’t fail or thrive based on their resources. It’s the culture that’s more important. Documentary filmmaker Molly Blank, who travelled the country in search of the best-performing schools, said: “Having an inspirational figure at the head of the school will create a community of learning and hold teachers accountable.

NSFAS funding applications for 2022 to open on 2 November

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding applications for 2022 will open on 2 November, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande announced on Thursday 28th October 2021.

Applications will open for all pupils and out-of-school youth from poor and working-class backgrounds who want to study at South African universities and TVET colleges, according to Nzimande.

“Considering the impact of coronavirus, now more than ever, the demand for student funding has increased,” he added. The applications system will be open from 2 November 2021 until 7 January 2022 when the National Senior Certificate results are released.

Strongly Advocate for an ICT policy in education, computer Studies Teachers Association of Zambia told

The National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has urged the newly formed computer Studies Teachers Association of Zambia (COSTAZ) to strongly advocate for an ICT policy in education. Executive Director Aaron Chansa has expressed excitement with the birth of the Association in Zambia. He told ZANIS that the birth of COSTAZ has come at the right time when the country is advancing to become a knowledge-based society. He also said the association is critical to the improvement of ICTS in Zambia which he said many countries are using as a tool for education and expansion of national economies.

UNZA Union calls off Go-Slow

UNZA unions, namely University Lecturers and Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU), University of Zambia Professionals Staff Union (UNZAPROSU) and University of Zambia Allied Workers (UNZAWU) have called off their go-slow after government ordered the University management to release K48 million as part of the debt owed to them. The government through the acting Minister of Education Elvis Nkandu has ordered the University management to allow students at the Great East and Ridgeway Campus owing the institution to write exams which are scheduled to start

China, Zambia pledge more cooperation in education sector

China and Zambia have pledged to further their cooperation in education, the pledge was made when the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie met Zambia’s Education Minister Douglas Syakalima. Li said China was carrying out various education projects in Zambia which have enabled young citizens to acquire the education and skills needed for work and their careers.

The Chinese envoy said the Embassy has been sponsoring academically outstanding students of vulnerable backgrounds in Zambian universities through the Ambassador’s Scholarship, adding that China has become the most popular destination for Zambian students to study abroad. He also underscored the bilateral ties that have existed between the two countries which he said have been growing from strength to strength and have produced practical fruitful outcomes.

School Arson blame game: Parents say teachers spend more time with students

The blame game on what exactly are the factors fuelling the recent cases of school fires continues. A section of parents are laying blame on teachers and Principals stating that their children spend more time in school than at home. This comes after Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha blamed parents for the unrest. The recent wave of school fires has seen several students arrested and others sent home indefinitely. Parents and guardians are seeking answers as to what could have led their teenage sons and daughters to torch their dormitories. Dr. Julius Jwan, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Early Learning and Basic Education, and Dr. Sarah Ruto, the Chief Administrative Secretary at the ministry want all education stakeholders to take responsibility to ensure that the unfortunate school fires do not become an annual event.

Rukwa Receives 6.64bn/ for the Construction of Classrooms

RUKWA Regional Commissioner (RC) Joseph Mkirikiri has disclosed that the region has received over 6.64bn/ for the construction of 259 classrooms for secondary schools and 73 satellite schools. He said the noble initiative will ensure that no child of school-going age will be left on the path side. Mkirikiti tasked Council District Executive Directors (DEDs) and Sumbawanga Municipal Director to ensure the value for money spends on the projects are realised. Mkirikiti made such remarks over the weekend after he officially launched the celebration of reflecting the 60th Independence Anniversary held here in municipality.

How pupils performed in 2021 Standard Seven Exams

The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) announced results for the 2021 Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), which indicate that pass rates have increased by 8.89 per cent, with Dar es Salaam emerging the best in overall ranking. A total of 907,802 out of 1,107,460 pupils who sat for the exams, equivalent to 81.97 per cent, passed the examination. Announcing the results in Dar es Salaam, NECTA Executive Secretary, Dr Charles Msonde explained that 574,704 of those who passed were girls while the remaining 532,756 were boys.

“1,108,023 candidates of registered candidates took the exam. Of these, 574,998 were girls and boys were 533,025. Some 24,061 candidates did not take the exams due to various reasons, including absenteeism and illness. Of these, 9,616 are girls and 14,445 are boys,” he noted.

IMF’s Relief Package Benefits Students with Special Needs

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has identifies three priority areas for channeling 64.9bn/- relief package including improving learning and teaching of students with special needs. The money is part of the 1.3 tr/- relief package provided by International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stimulate economy in sectors which have been mostly affected by Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking to reporters Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako said, the fund will also be used in vocational education training and teachers’ education. Prof Ndalichako said that the 1.47bn/- has been allocated for improving teaching and learning of students with special needs so that they can get best education.

Back to school in Uganda

The Department of Basic Education is developing a new history curriculum for schools in South Africa, to be inUgandan President Yoweri Museveni has said schools, shut since March 2020 owing to the coronavirus pandemic, will reopen early next year regardless of currently low vaccination uptake.

BioNTech open up first vaccine hub in Rwanda

The German firm, BioNTech, has signed deals with Rwanda and Senegal to build Africa’s first vaccine manufacturing facility based on mRNA technology. BioNTech with Pfizer created one of the world’s most widely used Covid-19 vaccines, says the plant will have an initial capacity to produce 50 million doses annually. The plant will be built in Rwanda. The partners say mRNA vaccines could also be developed to fight other diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. Rwanda’s Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said the goal was to include Africa in networks of scientific innovation and production.

60,000 Rwandan students fail national exams

The Rwandan government has announced that more than 60,000 students will have to re-sit classes for their current school year because of poor national exam results. More than 44,000 of the pupils had sat their primary school leaving tests. The others were in secondary school. The country’s education authorities are clamping down on an automatic promotion policy which they ditched last year in an attempt to boost academic performance, according to local The New Times site. The education minister said the students in question would be offered help, according to the same paper.

Reps pass Buhari’s bill raising teachers’ retirement age

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday 9th November 2021, passed an executive bill that seeks to raise the retirement age of teachers in Nigeria. The passage followed consideration of the report on the bill by the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had on June 2, 2021, sent the executive bill to the Senate and the House, seeking to increase the retirement age for teachers in the country from 60 to 65 years. It also seeks to extend the years of service for teachers from 35 to 40 years. Buhari, in the letter addressed to President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; and Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, respectively, explained that the piece of legislation would provide for a harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria. The letter read in part, “Transmission of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Bill 2021 to the National Assembly for consideration “Pursuant to Section 58 subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I forward herewith the harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria Bill, 2021 for consideration by the Senate.

Accra Business School enters partnership with 2 international universities

The Accra Business School has announced a partnership with the Glyndwr University (Wales) and Institute of Technology Carlow in Ireland. The two international collaborative partnerships will see ABS offer an extended range of degree and postgraduate courses in Business and Management. The partnership seeks to enable students to earn prestigious international qualifications here in Ghana.

WAEC considering interventions to reduce exams malpractices

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reached a decision to implement a number of technology driven interventions to reduce human involvement in the question paper production chain. The interventions, which are part of measures to stamp out the perennial issues of examination malpractices and minimise the human interface in the printing and distribution of its question papers, include the adoption of Test Serialisation System (TSE) of question papers, the use of parallel tests and making use of variable data printing.

Egypt’s Education Ministry launches online platform for public school fee payment

Egypt’s Ministry of Education launched on Sunday 7th November 2021 an electronic payment service for public school fees across Egypt in collaboration with the state-owned e-finance, and the payment management and digital collection platform, KlickIt. The action came as part of Egypt’s digital transformation and as part of its initiative to facilitate the provision of government services to citizens.