Kenia

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Kenia: Local universities begin biometric registration of students

Noticias

Kenia / 20 de septiembre de 2017 / Por: OUMA WANZALA / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke/

It will now be easier to identify students in universities after a number of the institutions rolled out a biometric registration of the learners this month.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, University of Nairobi and Maasai Mara University are among the institutions that registered first year students biometrically in compliance with a directive from the government last year.

Some 88,626 students were placed in 59 universities. A total of 71,089 students joined 31 public universities while 17,368 others have joined private institutions.

The institutions admitted the students last week for the start of their academic year.

Most universities cited cost implications for the delay in the implementation of the directive.

TERROR THREATS

The move to register students biometrically was due to terror threats after it emerged that university students were easy targets of terror networks.

University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor Peter Mbithi said new students had been registered biometrically. However, Prof Mbithi did not disclose the cost implication.

Moi University Vice-Chancellor Laban Ayiro said the institution had put in place modalities to register the students biometrically. “The launch will be held next week through a local bank,” said Prof Ayiro.

According to the directive from the government, universities were required to develop a functioning electronic register of all students registered by the respective university and college.

Mount Kenya Vice-Chancellor, Prof Stanley Waudo, said the institution had embraced the technology.

BIO DATA

USIU-Africa Principal Marketing and Communications Officer Jackie Chirchir said: “USIU-Africa has a biometric registration system in place which was launched in 2008 and upgraded in 2013.”

Higher learning institutions were also to capture bio data for students living in the institutions’ hostels.

Commission for University Education Chairman Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha said he hoped all universities will comply with the directive.

At the same time, university lecturers have written to their employer asking it to implement new salary scales or face industrial action.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga said lecturers will down their tools if their pay demands are not met by the end of this month.

“We want the new salary structure to be effected without delays,” said Dr Wasonga. “Uasu is deferring giving a strike notice to grant the university councils an opportunity to urgently streamline matters.”

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/Varsities-start-biometric-registration-of-students-/2643604-4094656-98mic8/index.html

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Emprendimientos beneficiarán más de 500 alumnos en Kenia

Noticias

Kenia/18 de Septiembre de 2018/El Mostrador

África, es un continente que cuenta con un alto porcentaje de población infantil en proceso de formación, pero cuyas familias no cuentan con las herramientas para acceder a una educación de calidad o la entrega de alimentos suficientes para su desarrollo y aprendizaje. Esta realidad impacta aún más al saber que cuentan sólo con una comida diaria.

En este contexto Fundación EducAfrica, institución chilena coopera en Kenia, de la mano de jóvenes profesionales, busca brindar oportunidades a niños que viven en situación de extrema vulnerabilidad en el continente, a través del apadrinamiento integral de proyectos educativos gracias al aporte de sus padrinos, socios y voluntarios en terreno. El trabajo en conjunto con escuelas comunitarias, los llevó a plantear soluciones de acuerdo a sus necesidades, naciendo en el año 2015 un trabajo colaborativo entre voluntarios y la comunidad escolar, que busca entregar recursos sustentables y que permitan mejorar su calidad de vida.

Proyecto de huertas o “shambas”

Saint Martin y Destiny school son dos escuelas comunitarias o también community based shcools, ubicadas en Kenia, en dos de los “slums” (guettos urbanos) más grandes de África. Gracias al programa de apadrinamiento de EducAfrica y otras iniciativas locales, los alumnos cuentan con una comida diaria basada en arroz, porotos y frutas como el plátano. Tras la medición de voluntarios en terreno surgió una iniciativa de mejora en la alimentación a través de una huerta comunitaria, denominada “shamba”.

El objetivo fue complementar la dieta con vegetales ricos en nutrientes como el kale, considerado un “superalimento”. Este proyecto financiado con apoyo del Fondo Chile contra el Hambre y la Pobreza, una iniciativa conjunta del Gobierno de Chile representado por la Agencia Chilena de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AGCID) y el Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUDChile), busca que toda la comunidad escolar mejore su alimentación y que aprendan a mantener, cosechar y cuidar estas shambas.

El gallinero o poultry  

La alta rotación de profesores, es un gran desafío que las escuelas deben afrontar dada la escasez de recursos financieros. EducAfrica, junto a la escuela Destiny del slum Mathare, conscientes de esta realidad levantaron iniciativas locales y concluyeron que construir un gallinero para la venta de huevos sería lo más óptimo para generar ingresos.

Muy pronto, directivos y profesores se prepararán para la compra de gallinas, producción de huevos y levantamiento de lo que será una cooperativa escolar, que busca establecer responsabilidades en la administración, repartición de beneficios y mantención de este emprendimiento.

Cabe recalcar que ambos proyectos apoyados por Fondo chile, permitirán entregar herramientas sólidas y sustentables para beneficiar a toda la comunidad escolar, y así permitirles contar con capacidades físicas y emocionales que permitan un mejor aprendizaje y por ende una educación de calidad.

Fuente: http://www.elmostrador.cl/agenda-pais/2017/09/12/emprendimientos-beneficiaran-mas-de-500-alumnos-en-kenia/

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Kenia: Schools told to get fire-fighting equipment

Noticias

Kenia / 13 de septiembre de 2017 / Por: WINNIE ATIENO / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke

The government has ordered school boards to acquire fire-fighting equipment as Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) demanded more funds for the purchase of the equipment.

Coast regional education coordinator Abdikadir Kike said all school boards in both public and private schools should avail firefighting equipment as a precautionary measure.

Mr Kike said according to the Ministry of Education, it is a requirement that the boards install the equipment.

The coast education boss said they had increased monitoring and surveillance in schools after unrest witnessed in other learning institutions.

INSPECTION

“We are very alert and we have enhanced school inspections. We are also collaborating with the six county governments at the coast to ensure safety of our children in both day and boarding public and private schools,” he said.

Speaking to the Nation by phone, Mr Kike urged school heads to be vigilant and report any indiscipline cases to relevant bodies.

However, Knut Coast regional member of the executive council Dan Aloo said the government must remit more funds for the purchase of the equipment.

“Most schools have not been equipped with firefighting tools because it is not in the budget. School maintenance and expenditure is something very important that must be looked into by the government,” he said.

MONITORING

Mr Aloo added:” That is an additional cost, where do schools get the money to buy the equipment? Stakeholders should join in and offer support.” He added that parents should not incur the cost of purchasing the equipment.

Mr Aloo said schools should have perimeter walls and surveillance cameras to monitor everything.

“Schools should have funds for maintenance and paying watchmen. We need surveillance cameras and two police officers stationed in all boarding schools. Let us be alert to ensure schools are free from danger,” he said.

He called on private stakeholders, unions and the government to form a combined effort with different stakeholders to secure children in boarding schools.

“In Mombasa, we have Bububu, Likoni for the Blind, Jomvu Girls, Mama Ngina and Shimo la Tewa secondary schools which can be provided with security for instance two police officers in each school,” he said.

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/Schools-told-to-get-fire-equipment/2643604-4090190-mvyspwz/index.html

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Kenia: Private universities reject State-sponsored learners

Noticias

Kenia / 09 de septiembre de 2017 / Por: PETER MBURU y LINET AMULI / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke

Private universities have turned away many government-sponsored students, citing poor funding.

Students admitted for courses such as law, pharmacy and clinical medicine were told to go back home when they reported for admission.

The problem has been reported in at least 28 universities.

The institutions referred the affected students back to the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service.

At Kabarak University, tens of parents protested outside the main campus gate when the learners were denied admission.

SPONSORSHIP

The students were placed in the institutions by KUCCPS on a government-sponsorship basis after surpassing the cut-off points for the courses in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

“We were told that the government paid Sh70,000 yet a course like medicine requires more than Sh200,000 per student. We fail to understand why KUCCPS placed our children here if it knew fees would not be paid,” Mr Edwin Sitienei complained.

KUCCPS chief executive John Muraguri admitted that the universities referred the students to the agency, adding that the matter was being addressed.

“What the universities did was in order, considering the circumstances, because they expected the government to increase funding for the students,” Mr Muraguri said.

FUNDING

The CEO added that the students had been placed in the institutions but funding affected the programme.

“We have communicated with the affected students and asked them to apply for other courses offered by public universities. We will place them once an agreement is reached,” Mr Muraguri said.

Angry parents, however, blamed KUCCPS for the turn of events and threatened to storm its city offices if their concerns were not addressed.

“It is very painful because some of us have sold land and other properties to bring our children here. Now we are being told to pay what we cannot afford,” Mr David Kurgat said.

ADMISSION

His son, who scored an A- in the KCSE examination, and was placed at the university to study pharmacy.

Mr Kurgat said his son had applied for admission to a public university but was placed at Kabarak.

Vice-Chancellor Henry Kiplagat said the university had addressed the matter with the KUCCPS.

“We have already admitted more than 1,200 government-sponsored students successfully.

For those affected, the matter is being handled by KUCCPS,” Dr Kiplagat said.

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/Private-universities-reject-State-sponsored-learners-/2643604-4085288-1m2e67z/index.html

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Kenia: 170,000 teachers to be trained on new curriculum

Noticias

Kenia / 06 de septiembre de 2017 / Por: OUMA WANZALA / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke/

More than 170,000 teachers who will oversee the implementation of the new curriculum in January will be trained in two month’s time.

Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Director Julius Jwan said the teachers will be trained in November and December.

Those to be trained are teachers handling nursery, and Class One to Three as the government embarks on competency-based curriculum.

“This term, based on our evaluation report, we cast the net wider to accommodate more teachers because so far, the feedback on the new curriculum is positive,” said Dr Jwan.

Dr Jwan revealed that printing of teacher’s guides, handbooks and pupils’ workbooks has been finalised. The workbooks will also be distribution to pupils with special needs.

SUPPORT MATERIALS

“The curriculum support materials will enrich teaching and learning. A teacher will facilitate learning by focusing more on what learners can perform and not just what they can remember,” he said.

The new system developed to replace the discredited 8-4-4 will fully be rolled out in Form Four by 2023.

Senior Deputy Director for Curriculum and Research Services Jacqueline Onyango said the curriculum designs that have been developed are comprehensive after they were revised to include emerging issues meant to improve learning.

“The curriculum designs provide suggested learning activities, teaching methodology, assessment, resources and time required to cover various topics, thus giving guidance for planning of lessons,” Ms Onyango said.

CURRICULUM DESIGNS

“The methodology of undertaking the activities, resources required and the time the activities will take must be clear in the curriculum designs,” she added.

The new curriculum emphasises on the 21st century skills that enhance graduates to acquire competence that will enable them to create jobs even as they seek to be employed. Piloting of the curriculum was concluded last term and took place in 470 schools.

According to the director, in 2019, the system will be rolled out in Standard Four to Six and in 2020, it will cover Standard Seven, Eight and Form One.

In 2021, it will be extended to Form Two while in the following year, it will cover Form Three.

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/170-000-teachers-to-be-trained-on-new-curriculum/2643604-4081548-s8mmidz/index.html

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Kenia: Raila Odinga’s call for postponement of exams met with criticism

Noticias

Kenia / 06 de septiembre de 2017 / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke

National Super Alliance leader Raila Odinga wants national examinations to be postponed for two weeks to allow for the repeat presidential election.

According to the opposition coalition’s presidential flagbearer, there is nothing wrong in adjusting the exam timetable to enable “an important national exercise like an election” to be conducted.

He said pushing the exam dates forward would not “make the students die”.

SCHOOL CALENDAR
He spoke at the Wilson Airport before leading his team to a campaign in Kisii.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has cautioned that the repeat election could disrupt the school calendar for next year.

Dr Matiang’i said programmes such as the selection of Form One students and the rollout of free secondary education are among activities that could be disrupted.

EXAM DATES
The minister proposed October 17 as a more convenient date for the poll.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission later announced the election will be held on that date.

The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam will start on November 6 and end on November 29.

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam will start on October 31 and end on November 2.

KCSE candidates will start sitting their practical tests on October 23.

Schools will close by October 29.

LEARNERS
On Tuesday, Mr Odinga’s proposal drew criticism from Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege, Elimu Yetu Coalition, the National Parents Association (NPA) and the Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA).

Ms Chege termed the remarks disrespectful to Kenyan children.

“I want to tell Mr Odinga that education matters should not be politicised or trivialised.

«The administration of exams requires time,” Ms Chege, who served in the last Parliament as Education Committee chairperson, said.

CRITICISM
Elimu Yetu national coordinator Muthoni Ouko said exams are equally important to the more than 1.6 million children who will be sitting them.

NPA chairman Nicholas Maiyo said: “We are against the latest calls by the political class that the national exams be put off by two weeks. We consider this proposal untenable.”

KPSA chief executive officer Peter Ndoro said: “If the political class believes in consultation, any matter concerning the child should be subjected to the same process.”

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Raila-wants-exams-postponed-by-two-weeks/1056-4084190-kvw2m4/index.html

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El poder de una compresa en Kenia: un millón de adolescentes deja el colegio al no tener acceso a ellas

Noticias

Kenia / 3 de septiembre de 2017 / Autor: EFE / Fuente: Eco Diario

Casi un millón de adolescentes deja de ir al colegio en Kenia cuando tienen el periodo ante la falta de acceso a compresas y a la higiene personal. Su vulnerabilidad crece al no poder comprender qué le pasa a su cuerpo, que se convierte en un tema tabú, y el 60% acaba abandonando la escuela secundaria.

En Kenia, como en otros lugares del mundo, el viaje de las niñas a la adolescencia es un momento difícil. Pero las inseguridades y preocupaciones a las que se enfrentan se intensifican en muchos países africanos ante la casi inexistente educación sobre salud reproductiva.

Para las kenianas, el momento de convertirse en mujeres implica, en la mayoría de los casos, abandonar la escuela y, en consecuencia, sus perspectivas de futuro. Tienen que dejar de ir a clase porque allí no suelen tener acceso a aseos limpios y privados, por lo que no pueden lavarse adecuadamente durante la menstruación.

Además, como las compresas están fuera del alcance del 65 % de las kenianas por su alto coste, muchas tienen que recurrir a otros remedios -telas, hojas o papel- que les pueden provocar infecciones y múltiples inseguridades que les impiden llevar una vida normal.

Esto provoca que casi un millón de niñas se ausenten hasta seis semanas en la escuela, mientras que el 60 % terminan abandonando por esta razón. Algo tan sencillo como una compresa puede transformar a una sociedad entera, permitiendo a las menores continuar con naturalidad su vida, asistiendo a clase junto al resto de sus compañeros y soñar, como ellos, en convertirse en doctoras, ingenieras o profesoras.

La organización Zana ha puesto en marcha diferentes programas -de los que ya se han beneficiado unas 30.000 niñas de entre 11 y 14 años- para mejorar la educación sexual y romper el tabú de la menstruación, que sigue envuelta de estigmas sociales como la vergüenza y la culpa.

«Creemos que la menstruación debe ser celebrada, no ser una vergüenza», reivindican desde Zana, que espera que algún día la gestión de la salud menstrual se reconozca como un derecho para todas las mujeres y niñas en todo el mundo.

Compresas gratuitas

Aunque el objetivo a largo plazo es educar sobre educación sexual y reproductiva -una de cada cuatro niñas desconocen que se pueden quedar embarazadas al tener el periodo- el reparto de compresas gratuitas supone el primer paso para romper el tabú sobre la menstruación.

«Pero las donaciones (de compresas) no son suficiente», explica a Efe la directora general de la citada organización, Megan Mukuria, que insiste en que es necesario cambiar la mentalidad de la sociedad e introducir en el mercado compresas de mayor calidad y más asequibles que permitan una solución duradera.

Por eso, han lanzado una nueva marca de estos productos que ya venden en diferentes asentamientos informales de Nairobi a unos 7 chelines la unidad (menos de un céntimo de euro) que son accesibles para las familias en Kenia, donde el 46 % de la población vive por debajo de la línea de pobreza.

«Estoy muy feliz y agradecida de recibir compresas que me hacen sentir valiosa. Sentí como si me hubieran dado millones de dólares», dice la joven Wambui.

El acceso a la educación para las menores no es solo una cuestión de derechos e igualdad de género, sino también una cuestión económica, porque el crecimiento de los países se contrae si se excluye a las mujeres del mundo laboral.

Según el Banco Mundial, si todas las niñas en Kenia finalizaran la escuela secundaria, habría un aumento del 46 % en el PIB del país a lo largo de su vida. Sin conocimiento sobre su salud reproductiva, las niñas son más vulnerables a enfermedades, embarazos no planificados, matrimonios prematuros forzados o a la mutilación genital femenina.

Las autoridades cada vez son más conscientes de ello, y prueba de ello es que el Gobierno de Kenia prometió -durante la pasada campaña electoral- repartir productos higiénicos gratuitos ente todas las escolares del país.

Fuente de la Noticia:

http://ecodiario.eleconomista.es/africa/noticias/8581726/09/17/El-poder-de-una-compresa-en-Kenia-un-millon-de-adolescentes-deja-el-colegio-por-la-falta-de-acceso.html

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