What are the EAC centres of excellence about?
Mar 24, 2009
I read with great delight the advert on Page 42 of The New Vision of March 11 with respect of the above topic. In the course of my work, I interact with several heads of educational institutions.
I read with great delight the advert on Page 42 of The New Vision of March 11 with respect of the above topic. In the course of my work, I interact with several heads of educational institutions.
Recently, I have been swamped with numerous requests from school heads to explain this advert and the nature of the application process. They claim the advert is confusing. Besides, a few competent schools, which have embarked on the task of preparing their applications, are afraid that the deadline for closure of the application process (March 20, 2009) was too tight for them to complete the task. Some schools suspect that a category of schools were given prior notice of the earmarked criteria so that they can ably prepare their submissions in time once the advertisement was placed in the newspapers.
Brian Kalule,
programme coordinator,
Legal Brains Trust
Professional advice
For an institution to present itself as a centre of academic excellence, it must be unique in several aspects (as outlined in the criteria) to the extent that probably within the five East African Community (EAC) partner states, it stands “tallâ€.
If any institution is providing similar services, courses or programmes as related institutions within the region, then it would be difficult to single it out as a centre of excellence. Two examples: Soroti Flying School is already an EAC centre of excellence because in its area and capacity; it has no equal in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
Utali (Kenya) is another in the tourism and catering field. While other EAC countries may have institutions in this area (such as Crested Crane in Jinja, Sekasi Tourism Institute before the tragedy that befell it in Uganda and many others in Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania) they may not measure up to Utali of Kenya, which has accordingly been designated an EAC centre of excellence.
I also agree that the time frame for institutions to put together the information required may be short, which was necessitated by the fact that the EAC secretariat (Arusha) intends to send a delegation in April to visit Uganda and assess progress in the identification of these centres.
In view of the issues you are raising, I am inclined to notify the authorities in Arusha to check on the possibility of delaying that mission as we assess the response and whether there is need for some extension. I will also endeavour to use our website to provide whatever additional information there is in our possession since this will be at no extra cost.
Answered by Aggrey D. Kibenge, the spokesperson of the education ministry.
For any comments, queries or other feedback, email:
education@newvision.co.ug
Recently, I have been swamped with numerous requests from school heads to explain this advert and the nature of the application process. They claim the advert is confusing. Besides, a few competent schools, which have embarked on the task of preparing their applications, are afraid that the deadline for closure of the application process (March 20, 2009) was too tight for them to complete the task. Some schools suspect that a category of schools were given prior notice of the earmarked criteria so that they can ably prepare their submissions in time once the advertisement was placed in the newspapers.
Brian Kalule,
programme coordinator,
Legal Brains Trust
Professional advice
For an institution to present itself as a centre of academic excellence, it must be unique in several aspects (as outlined in the criteria) to the extent that probably within the five East African Community (EAC) partner states, it stands “tallâ€.
If any institution is providing similar services, courses or programmes as related institutions within the region, then it would be difficult to single it out as a centre of excellence. Two examples: Soroti Flying School is already an EAC centre of excellence because in its area and capacity; it has no equal in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
Utali (Kenya) is another in the tourism and catering field. While other EAC countries may have institutions in this area (such as Crested Crane in Jinja, Sekasi Tourism Institute before the tragedy that befell it in Uganda and many others in Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania) they may not measure up to Utali of Kenya, which has accordingly been designated an EAC centre of excellence.
I also agree that the time frame for institutions to put together the information required may be short, which was necessitated by the fact that the EAC secretariat (Arusha) intends to send a delegation in April to visit Uganda and assess progress in the identification of these centres.
In view of the issues you are raising, I am inclined to notify the authorities in Arusha to check on the possibility of delaying that mission as we assess the response and whether there is need for some extension. I will also endeavour to use our website to provide whatever additional information there is in our possession since this will be at no extra cost.
Answered by Aggrey D. Kibenge, the spokesperson of the education ministry.
For any comments, queries or other feedback, email:
education@newvision.co.ug