Africa Education ministers set for Nairobi meet
Higher Education Permanent Secretary Crispus Kiamba said the setting up of Pan African University would see students from across the globe come to Kenya to study under the network. FILE
Education ministers from Africa gather in Nairobi next week to finalise details on setting up of a new university in Kenya to handle the continent’s science and technology training.
The Conference of African Ministers of Education (COMEDAF IV) will deliberate on statutes of the university, research policies, curriculum, develop an African accreditation procedure as well as host agreement with Kenya.
Already, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has been selected as the hub of the Pan African University (PAU), which will start offering degree programmes in September.
PAU’s other satellite campuses will be in South Africa (to teach space science), Cameroon (governance and social sciences) and Nigeria (earth and life sciences).
Higher Education Permanent Secretary Crispus Kiamba said the setting up of PAU would see students from across the globe come to Kenya to study under the network.
It will also benefit university staffers who will receive financial aid to pursue research and other post-graduate studies.
“This is good news for Kenya to host the PAU, and JKUAT to be recognised to that level,” he said during a phone interview.
According to the AU’S commissioner for human resources, Prof Jean-Pierre Ezin, the need to involve young people in science and technology is very critical as it is the basis of growth and development in the continent.
“Efficiency and the development of Africa depend on youth empowerment, and the youth need education in various ways and forms, so that they contribute to the development process.”
COMEDAF IV will develop the key policy documents to be considered by the July 2011 AU Summit of Heads of State and Government, which will also approve funding for the university.
Currently, a committee on planning said that it will need about Sh700 million to roll out degree programmes in the JKUAT hub.
The ministers will also be advocating for increased levels of domestic spending on education.
Kenya’s Education minister Sam Ongeri, who is also the chair of COMEDAF IV said the rate should stand at six per cent of the gross domestic product, or 20 per cent of public expenditure.
“The role of higher education as a major driver of social and economic development is even more urgent and crucial for Africa as it lags behind in provision of the most basic needs,” he said.
It is hoped that PAU will greatly boost the production and retention of high level human resources and quality knowledge outputs.
Besides promoting science and technology PAU shall also link scientific research to economic development in the region.
According to the Union, approximately 20,000 dons leave African universities annually the single most factor which has led to poor quality in the institutions.
Last year, the union issued questionnaires to universities that were to be used to assess the level of quality assurance, under the quality rating mechanism (QRM).
Officials said the QRM is designed to assist the institutions mark progress in quality development, as well as feed into the AU’s efforts to promote the same.
