Coronavirus underscores what’s missing in Africa | MOSES NGWARE | Almost universally, one of the first measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 was the closure of schools, colleges and universities. This has affected over 1.576 billion learners, constituting slightly over 91% of enrolment. In Africa, about 297 million …
Read More »Half of world’s locked-down pupils lack computer: UN
Paris, France | AFP | Half of the world’s school and university students affected by class closures because of the coronavirus outbreak — from pre-primary to university level — do not have access to a computer for home-schooling, the UN’s educational agency said Tuesday. Highlighting “startling digital divides” between the rich and poor, a UNESCO …
Read More »Rural decline threatens Estonia’s ancient ‘isle of women’
Estonia | AFP | For centuries on a small, forested island in the Baltic Sea, women in headscarves and striped red skirts have done most of the work: from farming to lighthouse keeping, leading church services and even dressing up as Santa at Christmas. The men of Kihnu island, 10 kilometres …
Read More »Sister Nyirumbe nominated for Global Teacher Award
Global Prize shines spotlight on important role teachers play in society Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, a skills education teacher from St. Monica Girls Training Centre in Gulu, northern Uganda, has been shortlisted among the 50 teachers who will compete for this year’s Varkey Foundation Global …
Read More »Morocco fortress village hopes to draw ‘Game of Thrones’ fans
AIT-BEN-HADDOU, Morocco | AFP | Millions worldwide may have seen the desert fortress in the hit fantasy series “Game of Thrones”, but fewer know they can visit the Moroccan village of Ait-Ben-Haddou. The fortified old settlement at the foot of the majestic Atlas mountains enchanted audiences in the HBO series and …
Read More »Parliament asks gov’t to avail UGX 10.3b for UNESCO conference, Dubai expo
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has directed government to avail additional funding of 10.3 billion shillings to the Tourism Sector to among others enable the hosting of the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee Conference. This followed the adopted of the Budget Committee report on the financial …
Read More »Living with disability in the digital age
Life when you cannot use a computer, smart phone, ATM Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Beatrice Guzu, the executive secretary of the National Council for Disability has been visually impaired (blind) all her life. She says throughout her student life, she experienced hardships that only blind students face. …
Read More »Trump backs off threat to bomb Iran’s cultural sites
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Tuesday backed away from his earlier insistence that he has the right to order the bombing of Iran’s cultural treasures during a war. Facing strong criticism that such attacks would be a war crime, Trump said he was “OK” with …
Read More »World Bank advises Uganda to invest in early childhood education
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Bank has advised the government to invest in early childhood education in order to give a firm foundation to toddlers at a time when they are developing cognitive and character skills. According to research conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and …
Read More »Denmark and Iceland clash over priceless mediaeval manuscripts
Copenhagen, Denmark | AFP | They recount tales of Viking raids, Norse history, kings and gods: a priceless collection of mediaeval manuscripts, bequeathed by an Icelandic scholar to the University of Copenhagen in the 18th century, that Iceland now wants back. The UN cultural organisation UNESCO has called them “the single …
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