media releases - Unisa undertakes to help war torn East African countries

Unisa is about to sign an agreement with the Minister of Education of Rwanda, following a visit by a University delegation to that country. The delegation recently returned from Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya where there is a ‘crying need’ for higher education. The genocide in Rwanda and Burundi, which saw millions killed, also saw the destruction of resources of learning – and the obliteration of their intelligentsia.

Mrs Beatrice Mukabaranga, Vice-Rector of the Kigali Institute for Education in Rwanda, is visiting the University this week. The University has already received 113 applications for mainly postgraduate study at Unisa from that Institute.

To help restore higher learning through teacher and lecturer training and to assist in education resources, the University of South Africa is to embark on agreements with the governments and institutions of higher learning. In the three East African countries, Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya, Unisa will identify an institution, which will be best equipped to collaborate as a main partner. The international donor community, such as the World Bank, Unesco, United Nations Development Programme are all potential partners in this venture.

In March the Minister of Education of Rwanda accompanied by rectors of several universities will pay an official visit to Unisa. The Minister and Professor Pityana will sign an official agreement on this occasion.

A delegation from Burundi is also expected to visit Unisa in April. Unisa will enter into partnership with University of Burundi as well as University of Nairobi, University of Maseno and University of Egerton.

The Unisa delegation to the three countries included the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof N Barney Pityana, the Director: Africa, Mr Nicola Bwakira, the Executive Director: Corporate Communication & Marketing, Mrs Laurika Olwagen, the Dean of Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof Mandla Makhanya, the Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Prof Mrad Shahia, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof Thobeka Mda and the Registrar: Academic: Prof Louis Molamu.

The delegation met with ministers of education and vice-chancellors of universities and heads of other institutions of higher learning in each country.

Discussions were held with ministers regarding the quality of Unisa qualifications and the affordable costs – especially in comparison with European and American institutions.

"In each country there was a thirst for education," said Mr Bwakira. "Many institutions already had a draft memorandum of agreement. ‘When can you start’ is what we were asked.

"It was appalling to realise that their intelligentsia had been destroyed by the wars. Their students and lecturers were killed or had fled as refugees. The National University of Rwanda closed down for a full academic year as a result of the genocide, which decimated four hundred lecturers and students. There is a crying need for higher education and clearly distance education is a very effective way of supplying it.

"We saw how passionate the government leaders were in Rwanda about higher education. We saw university vice-chancellors, lecturers and teachers trying to do miracles with limited resources – no libraries or publications to help them.

"We were all humbled by their fortitude. They work tirelessly in difficult conditions, yet they remain committed."

Unesco is particularly keen to get Unisa involved in teacher upgrading in Northern Somalia, too, Mr Bwakira said.