GEM Sites Bi-Weekly Updates
March 08 - March 20, 2024
Lebanon
The stakes are high. For depositors, locked out of their savings, it will lay out the mechanisms of restitution. Except for some well-connected Lebanese, most have lost all their life savings. For the banks, it will determine which will survive and which will be forced into bankruptcy. It is also a condition to secure a much-needed $3 billion loan programme from the International Monetary Fund, a prerequisite for unlocking any foreign financing.
Since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in Gaza on Oct. 7, Israeli strikes have killed or wounded several ranking members of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, as well as its ally Hamas in different parts of Lebanon. Hamas identified its slain member as Hadi Mustafa and said he was with the group’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades. Lebanese state media said he was from the Rashidieh refugee camp near Tyre, where Hamas has a notable presence.
Rwanda
President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame presided over the award ceremony for the winners of the Rwanda First Lego League (FLL) challenge and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hackathon on March 16 at Intare Conference Arena.
The FLL program is an internationally recognized initiative that challenges students to explore real-world problems, research solutions, and build and program educational robots to accomplish specific missions, while the AI Hackathon was designed for secondary schools, with the aim of introducing students to the world of artificial intelligence, providing them with hands-on skills to solve real-world challenges using technology and inspiring them to explore the fields of science, technology, engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Different parts of the country, from March 11 to March 19 (anticipated to continue on the 20th), experienced average maximum temperature ranging between 20 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius “which is slightly above the range of long-term average maximum temperature” compared to the same previous period, according to Rwanda Meteorology Agency.
Many parts of Kigali City, Bugesera and Nyagatare Districts, Amayaga region, Bugarama valley, and localised parts of Ngoma and Gatsibo districts are experiencing higher maximum temperatures ranging between 28°C and 30°C. The weather forecaster said a reduction in the amount of rain and rainy days was expected across the country over the 10 days from March 11 to March 20. Although rainfall was expected on the evening of March 19, Nyagatare District was expecting a 32°C temperature.
Kenya
It’s a well-known fact that Kenyans have a thirst for education that rivals any country in the world. This insatiable hunger for knowledge explains why education claims the lion’s share of our budget, why classrooms are bursting at the seams at every level, and also why the dropout rate at the university level in Kenya is very low, even compared to developed countries. It speaks of a desire for education so deeply embedded in a nation’s collective psyche it qualifies as a default setting. In a country where access to high-quality education has become an increasingly prized asset, it’s no surprise that Kenyans are displaying a growing interest in pursuing their studies abroad.
On Monday, Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang attributed funding challenges plaguing the education sector to a fixed allocation of Sh54 billion from the government, intended for 3.2 million students. However, with actual enrollment at 4.2 million students, the discrepancy exacerbates the financial strain on institutions.
The PS further stated that the financial pressures have forced the ministry to reduce capitation from Sh22,224 to about Sh17,000. Accusing the Ministry of Education of orchestrating a game of deception, the Minority Leader asserted that the repeated promises of financial support serve only to mislead the public while leaving school heads ill-equipped to fulfill their obligations.
South Africa
A historic migration route for sunbirds between the Table Mountain National Park and the Boland Mountains is being restored by the Ingcungcu Sunbird Restoration Project, using fynbos gardens in schools across the Cape Flats. Ceinwen Smith, executive director of the project, says the birds travel between the mountain ranges of Muizenberg and Stellenbosch, but that the route has been "broken" by urban sprawl.
Sunbirds cannot fly for more than a kilometre and half without stopping to feed. Establishing gardens at schools to act as "filling stations" for the little birds helps them to complete their natural migration. Smith says the disruption of bird migration and the destruction of their habitat has endangered many species endemic to the Cape Flats.
Anger and frustration have reached a boiling point among the parents of pupils who are allegedly supposed to be attending Theresa Park Secondary School in Pretoria. They are accusing the Gauteng Department of Basic Education of neglecting the pupils in the midst of an overcrowding crisis in various schools across the city.
Ahead of a school governing body meeting and a parents’ and district meeting today, parents said the department’s inaction and silence on this matter spoke volumes, “especially since this whole mess of a crisis started at the beginning of the year due to their allocation system”. Kagiso Mamabolo, whose brother went to Amandasig High School in Pretoria North after being accepted at Theresa Park, said the move was demotivating and disheartening for pupils.
Malawi
Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has described the riots that occurred at Kamwanya Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Mchinji district as one of the worst school riots in the country.
On Sunday night, students at the school set ablaze property worth over K25 million during a protest against the suspension of some of their colleagues over indiscipline.
Visiting the school on Tuesday, Wirima expressed worry over the incident saying she decided to visit the school so that she could see the extent of the damage for herself. “I came to see the impact of the vandalism for myself. It’s a sorry sight that has proven to be one of the worst riots and very retrogressive. “Let me remind students across the country that ‘Human Rights’ go with responsibility, otherwise you impinge on other people’s rights too,” said Wirima.
Northern Region Immigration officials have arrested 52 Ethiopian nationals for illegal entry into the country. Northern Region Immigration Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Francis Chitambuli has confirmed the development saying the offense is contrary to Section 21(1) of the Malawi Immigration Act, and the men were arrested on the night of 19 March, 2024.
“The arrested Ethiopians, all males were intercepted around Mkombezi area in Rumphi district following Immigration Officials routine check around the said place,” said Sergeant Chitambuli. He added that the Immigration officials have also impounded a motor vehicle, 20 Tonner Van ,bearing registration number NE 9315 belonging to Skylight Logistics which is suspected to have been used to ferry the arrested suspects.
End !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Comments
Post a Comment