BY SAMUEL NABWIISO
ENTEBBE -UGANDA: Fighting
poverty in the East African Community Member States will not be achieved if
institutions of Higher Learning from the Seven Members Economic block do not invest
more resources both financial and Human resources in Researches and share data
from their findings.
According to policy makers from
the region, Institutions of Higher Learning plays big role towards fighting
poverty through carrying out researches from which the study findings can guide
policy makers to make investment decisions.
"As region we need a lot of
data on key sectors such as Education, Health, Transport but the policy makers
are not accessing to such information in
the region because less studies have been undertaken by research institution's
such as Universities and where research has been under taken, the study
findings are not shared among member states in the region which negatively
impedes decision making" Explained Uganda's State
Minister of Education Technology and Sports in Charge of Higher Education Dr.John
Chrysostom Muyingo
The Minister made the alarming statement
during the inter-university Council of East Africa meeting held in Entebbe-Uganda
on Strengthening Coordination of Collection and Management of Data in Higher
Education and University Research in the EAC region.
The forum brought together
stakeholders in higher education including Universities, National Councils of
Higher Education, key technocrats from Ministries of Education in EAC Partner
States and other research institutions to discuss research coordination for
evidence-based policy making.
Muyingo, added by advising
Universities in the region to train researchers who are capable to produce
quality data that can guide decision/policy makers, the minister observed that
many researchers in the region are producing research reports which are
substandard and this affects Investment decision making by governments in the
region's.
To ensure that there's accurate
data concerning the Education Sector in Uganda as guiding tool for proper
planning in the Education Sector, Muyingo said the Government of Uganda has
embarked on the Education Management Information System which aims at capturing
all data on School aged going children.
"This initiative will capture data for learners starting at pre-Primary to Universities as Government we think the data generated from the Exercise will help decision makers to plan for Education sector both at Central level and Local Government's we challenge all the governments in the region to replicate what Uganda is doing to generate accurate data concerning the Education Sector for proper planning. “The minister said.
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| Participants in Group Photo with the Minister Fourth from the right on the front low |
Speaking the same event, the
Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council of East Africa, Professor
Gaspard Banyankimbona, said the council has also embarked on an initiative with
support from development partner organizations to develop Higher Education
Information Management Systems.
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| Professor Gaspard Banyankimbona, making his A dress during the meeting |
