“Sub-Saharan Africa’s top three universities are all in South Africa, but Ghana and Kenya are growing in strength, the latest Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings reveal.”
So reports The World University Rankings about its Sub-Saharan Africa rankings. It features 129 universities from 22 countries. Ellie Bothwell, the rankings editor, [email protected], remarked that
this second year of the rankling “was developed to assess the impact of universities in addressing some of the toughest challenges faced in the region.”
At number 12, the American University of Nigeria is Nigeria’s highest-ranked in the survey. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is 21st.
Both are the only Nigerian universities in the Top 25. Landmark University was at the top of the ethical leadership pillar.
Nigeria is the best-represented nation, with 41 universities ranked and an average overall score of 51. Nigeria has 13 universities in the top 50, with the American University of Nigeria the highest-ranked at number 12.
The country’s universities score well for ethical leadership and student engagement, and students rate the quality of teaching and curriculums. However, they have the lowest average scores (of countries with ten or more institutions ranked) for the percentage of first-generation and low-income students.
Ghana has the second-highest overall score, averaging 57 based on 11 institutions. Two universities are in the top 10, up from one last year: The University of Ghana has risen from 17th to 5th place, and Ashesi University has maintained its position at number nine. Ghanaian universities are strong in ethical leadership, achieving the highest average score for this pillar among countries with at least ten ranked institutions.
Although Kenya has no institution in the top 10, it has the third-highest average overall score of 54, based on 15 universities ranked. The highest-ranked institution is the University of Embu, which is ranked 16th.
Kenyan universities score exceptionally well for the quality of their courses, based on student feedback, but they need to score better for the access and fairness metrics. They also have room for improvement regarding the percentage of first-generation and low-income students.
Teboho Moja, professor of higher education at New York University, said there had been “more deliberate efforts” to support flagship universities in Kenya and Ghana than elsewhere in the region, which is why they were improving. However, she added that the region’s universities faced several challenges beyond funding.
“An ageing professoriate, as well as high demand for higher education, leads to institutions admitting more students, but this is not matched by the level of funding they receive. As a result, quality is impacted, and research production is challenged as lecturers have to teach big classes and have demanding teaching schedules that leave no time for research production,” she said.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/sub-saharan-africa-university-
On Bianca Ojukwu’s call for the release of Nnamdi Kalu
Citizen Chidi Omeje waxed eloquently in support of the assertion of the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, that President Bola Tinubu would release detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
She is barely weeks in office, but she is already making the right call. It takes a transcendental leader to connect emotionally with his or her people.
We have five governors with over-bloated egos and countless numbers of ineffectual federal lawmakers and Ministers feeding fat on our collective mandate. Still, they will never consider it reasonable to speak on this gravely important issue or make any move towards the release of Mr Kanu.
This is despite the public knowledge that the growing security challenges assailing the region are tied to the continued incarceration of Kanu.
We have said it severely before, and it bears repeating that in the atmosphere of grave insecurity, the type we have in the South-East, every other developmental plan by these so-called leaders fails.
Is it not trite that security is the fulcrum of every other thing and that the primary responsibility of any government is the security of the people?
Kudos to our Queen Bianca for speaking truth to power, something Dave Umahi, Hope Uzodimma, Orji Uzo Kalu, Chukwuma Soludo, Peter Mbah, Alex Otti, Nwifuru, Austin Akobundu, Uche Ekwunife, and others could not muster the testicular fortitude to do.
Caveat: Bianca is not the only one who has called for Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Senator Enyi Abaribe, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Governor Alex Otti, and the South-East Caucus of the House of Representatives have done so previously.
Australia to ban U-16s from social media
The Australian parliament is considering banning social media access for teenagers under 16. Platforms that would be affected include Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, and others.
As reported by the Associated Press, Australia’s House of Representatives passed a bill banning it, leaving it to the Senate to finalise the world-first law.
The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.
The legislation passed 102 to 13. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.
Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents, such as passports or driver’s licenses, nor could they demand digital identification through a government system.
The bill was introduced to the Senate late Wednesday, but it adjourned for the day hours later without putting it to a vote. The legislation will likely be passed on Thursday, the Parliament’s final session for the year and potentially the last before elections, due within months.
The support of the major parties guarantees that the legislation will pass in the Senate, where no party holds most seats.
During the Tuesday and Wednesday debates, lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation.
Criticisms include the fact that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages, and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children.
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