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ADEA commends Ghana’s, Seychelles’ for strong Higher Education Management Information System.

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THE Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) congratulated Ghana and Seychelles for having well-developed management information systems for their higher education institutions.

This was at a technical workshop on Higher Education Management Information Systems (HEMIS) benchmarking organized by ADEA’s Working Group on Education Management and Policy Support (WGEMPS) and that of Higher Education (WGHE), in collaboration with the Association of African Universities (AAU). The technical workshop took place in Accra (Ghana) from 29th to 30th of June 2017.

The workshop attracted 25 participants, among them Prof. Mohammed Salifu, the Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), who was the Chairperson during the opening session. Other key delegates included Dr. Yohannes Woldetensae, Senior Education Expert, African Union Commission (AUC); Ms. Rachel Ogbe, Principal Programme Officer for Education, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); Mr. David Blaise Ossene, Education and Culture Expert, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); Ms. Nodumo Dhlamini, Director of  ICT Services & Knowledge Management, AAU; several senior HEMIS experts from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mauritius, Senegal; senior Educational Management Information Systems (EMIS) experts from the University of Moundou in Chad and from five universities from Ghana (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; University of Cape Coast; University of Ghana; University of Mines and Technology and University for Professional Studies of Accra). ADEA’s WGEMPS and WGHE staff as well as different media representatives were also in attendance.

The workshop aimed to build a strong HEMIS to provide quality information that supports informed decision making in leadership, governance and management of higher education institutions, and for facilitating sound sector planning, monitoring and evaluation, financing and quality assurance. This will be done by identifying best practices, and needs in terms of capacity building and strategy development with specific areas that the universities would provide.

Higher Education is one of education sub sectors in Africa where it is very difficult to get comprehensive and reliable statistics

The opening session included key note speeches from representatives of AAU, AUC, ECOWAS, ADEAWGEMPS and NCTE. All the speakers lamented on the numerous challenges in the collection, compilation and analysis of statistical data in higher education sub sector in particular at institutional level in Africa. They also mentioned the lack of clear and comprehensive indicators to underpin the monitoring and evaluation framework for the Higher Education sector. These indicators are critical for tracking the implementation of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016 – 2025 (CESA 16-25), Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Global Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 4 on “Quality Education”.

Mr. Makha Ndao, WGEMPS Coordinator, speaking on behalf of Ms. Oley Dibba-Wadda, the ADEA Executive Secretary, stressed the difficulty of obtaining comprehensive and reliable statistics for the higher education sub sector. “Higher Education is one of education sub sectors in Africa where it is very difficult to get comprehensive and reliable statistics. Only 2 out of 23 countries (i.e. Ghana and Seychelles) in Sub-Saharan Africa completed the Higher and Tertiary Education questionnaire to UNESCO Institute for Statistics in 2015”, said Mr. Ndao. He cited coordination of the fragmented and parallel systems in place as one of the biggest challenges in many countries: the monitoring of education systems is the responsibility of multiple ministries, agencies and departments across different levels of government. Mr. Ndao reiterated ADEA’s and AAU’s commitment to support countries to systematically examine and strengthen the performance of their HEMIS using the country led Norms and Standards tools.

Prof. Mohammed Salifu, Executive Secretary of NCTE, in his opening statement agreed that access to basic information in the higher education sub-sector was a challenge. However, he expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the HEMIS workshop and also acknowledged the fact that Ghana was one of the two countries that have been consistent in reporting and providing higher education data. “We know that African universities are the sources of data on higher education and we are keen to strengthen their capacities to capture and provide information for national, regional and continental needs”, Ms. Nodumo Dhlamini, AAU’s Director of Information and Communications Technology Services and Knowledge Management and ADEA’s WGHE Coordinator stated during her intervention. In addition, she reminded the meeting that this workshop was a follow up from the AUC recommendations that ADEA would use the lessons learnt based on the EMIS Norms and Standards to help strengthen the African Universities’ HEMIS.

In his remarks, Dr. Yohannes Woedetensae, AUC’s Senior Education Expert also emphasized that benchmarking of HEMIS would be supportive and complementary to the African Quality Rating Mechanism. He said robust management information system were essential for effective policy development based on sound, accurate, timely and meaningful statistical information.

Lastly, Ms. Rachael J. Ogbe, Principal Programme Officer, ECOWAS, expressed her delight for the timely august gathering. She pointed out that EMIS was a key priority for the ECOWAS region. She also praised ADEA for being a very reliable partner in developing the EMIS Norms and Standards since the process of strengthening the management information system in the region started in Lomé in 2010. The joint collaboration between ECOWAS and ADEA has also resulted in the useful EMIS Peer Reviews in Ghana and Mali. To this end, she was hopeful that this collaboration would continue to ensure that a lasting solution is found for EMIS in general.

Mr. Youssouf Ario Maiga, WGEMPS Programs Manager and Mr. Alpha Bah, WGEMPS resource person led the facilitation of the workshop with technical backstopping thanks to Mr. Kwesi Acquah Sam from the AAU Secretariat and member of ADEA/WGHE.

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Ford Trims Workforce: 4,000 Jobs to Go in Europe

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(FILES) The logo of carmaker Ford is pictured on the sidelines of a warning strike called by metalworkers’ union IG Metall at the plant of carmaker Ford in Cologne, western Germany, on October 29, 2024. – US car manufacturer Ford on November 20, 2024 announced plans for 4,000 further job cuts in Europe, mostly in in the UK and Germany, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP)

US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.

“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.

The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.

“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.

The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.

Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.

 

Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.

 

“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.

 

Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.

The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.

Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.

 

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Tinubu Dissolves UNIZIK Council, Sacks VC, Registrar, Otukpo Pro-Chancellor

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President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.

The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.

A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.

According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.

The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.

“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.

In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.

Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.

Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.

The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.

Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.

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Ekiti Workers to Earn N70,000 Minimum Wage as Govt Signs MoU with Unions

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The Ekiti State Government has reached an agreement with labour leaders in the state, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government.

Addressing journalists at a brief ceremony in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the Head of Service (HoS), Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, announced that the payment would commence immediately.

She lauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the welfare of workers despite the state’s limited resources.

“This development demonstrates the governor’s commitment to improving the livelihood of our workers,” Dr. Olomojobi stated, highlighting the proactive measures taken by the administration to ensure prompt implementation.

In their remarks, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Sola Adigun, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Comrade Olatunde Kolapo, expressed their appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for fulfilling his promises to workers.

They confirmed that the new minimum wage would apply to all cadres, including employees in ministries, parastatals, agencies, and pensioners.

The Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), Comrade Femi Ajoloko, described the implementation as a fair and commendable adjustment.

“This decision reflects the governor’s magnanimity and his dedication to fostering a productive workforce in Ekiti State,” he said.

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