By Ignatius Banda
BULAWAYO, Oct 31 (IPS) – As concerns deepen about the quality of education in Zimbabwe, parents can expect an indefinite extension of subsidising teacher salaries as the cash- strapped government struggles to meet the bloated civil service wage bill.

Teacher incentives – a stipulated amount of usually between two to five dollars, which is [...]

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 25 (IPS) – Arguing that an educated population is a country's greatest wealth, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) says there is no escape from poverty without a vast expansion of secondary education worldwide.

"This is a minimum entitlement for equipping youth with the knowledge and skills they need [...]

By A.D.McKenzie
PARIS, Oct 4 (IPS) – Making some simple, basic changes in education policy can result in many more girls attending school, experts said at a meeting here this week on Gender Equality in Education.

Take the case of Kenya. The United Nations says that the country has made huge strides towards the goal of education [...]

By Meena Bhandari

Government schools remained closed almost a week after the term was meant to officially start. / Meena Bhandari/IPS

FREETOWN, Sep 20 (IPS) – A formal strike of teachers has been averted and pupils in Sierra Leone returned to school on Tuesday, almost a week after the term was meant to officially start.

On top [...]

By Mantoe Phakathi

Ministry of Education and Training Principal Secretary Pat Muir (centre) said closing down schools until payment was made was not acceptable. / Mantoe Phakathi/IPS

MBABANE, Sep 16 (IPS) – The future education of Swazi children remains uncertain, as public schools across the country have not reopened for the new term because government [...]

By Isaiah Esipisu*

Mothers queue with their children at the Badbaado camp clinic. Except for a few Islamic schools, education at the camp is almost non-existent. / Abdurrahman Warsameh/IPS

NAIROBI, Aug 18 (IPS) – Jamaal Abdi, an eight-year-old boy at the Badbaado camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu, would like to have an education. He [...]

By Mantoe Phakathi

Information is one of the most important tools citizens need to make informed decisions, especially about education. / Mantoe Phakathi/IPS

MBABANE, Aug 5 (IPS) – Many public officials in Swaziland do not think that access to information is a public right, but rather a privilege – which can be withdrawn at anytime.

And [...]

By Abderrahim El Ouali
CASABLANCA, Jul 29 (IPS) – Despite 12 years of reform, Morocco’s universities continue to fall short of expectations, with students complaining that the training they get does not meet the demands of the job market.

Professors in this North African country of 32 million people echoed their students’ grievances, adding that Moroccan universities [...]

By Protus Onyango

The issue of education in South Sudan is so critical that most leaders are calling on the youth to go back to school.
/ John Robinson/IPS

JUBA, Jul 19 (IPS) – Being educated during the country’s civil war was almost impossible. But Victoria Maja wanted to become a doctor, and in order [...]

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 28 (IPS) – When the five-month-old political standoff in Cote d'Ivoire came to an end in early April, the strife-torn West African nation was expected to return to normal – later than sooner.

But the political crisis triggered by a disputed presidential election has been followed by a spreading humanitarian crisis.
The [...]

By Portia Crowe
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 17 (IPS) – Innovative research and development in mathematics and science could spur African economic growth, according to South African astrophysicist Bernard Fanaroff. Fanaroff is the project manager of South Africa’s bid to host the world’s largest telescope, the Square Kilometre Array.

"People talk about Africa as the next great [...]

By Mantoe Phakathi
MBABANE, Jun 15 (IPS) – After a newspaper that Prudence* (16) used as sanitary wear fell from her while she played with friends at school, she left and never returned.

The impoverished A-student could not handle the teasing or embarrassment. It was not the first time the Nkonyeni High School pupil was embarrassed by [...]

Investment in education by sub-Saharan African countries is paying dividends, according to a new report.

Providing primary school students with a hot meal coincided with an increase in attendance between 2007 and 2011.

Domestic workers with no formal skills or training earn between 6 and 13 dollars a month.