Growing up in a remote village within the small mountain state of Himachal Pradesh north of India, Asha Kanwar considers education the basis of all development. Being the first generation of an illiterate family to go to school, Asha says education has been a life-changing experience for her.
Presenting a paper at the Joined Up Policies to Develop Commonwealth Education workshop on Tuesday, 20 November 2007 during the Commonwealth People’s Forum, Professor Asha Singh Kanwar stresses that there is no difference between education on the one hand and development on the other; to achieve any of the Millennium Development Goals education is the bottom line.
Asha has had the opportunity to go through higher education with scholarships and international fellowships; one of these was from British Council for a Doctor of Philosophy programme at the University of Sussex which she completed in 1986.
Today, Professor Kanwar is the Vice President and Programme Director of the Commonwealth Of Learning.
Young People in the Commonwealth member countries still feel their say is not given enough attention. They claim to encounter a number of predicaments which are not looked into by those in aithority, who happen naturally to be the older ones. However, they were grateful to the Commonwealth Youth Forum which gave them an avenue to air their grievances and be part of decision making in their various countries. These were the views of some of the young people that came to the people’s space at Hotel Africana.
Among the students present were those from the Aga Khan Foundation Education Services, in particular, the Aga Khan High School. Under one of the most vibrant units of the school, the Creativity Action and Service (CAS), the students were able to showcase their services to the community. Among other projects, they have helped set up a school in Mukono, Uganda. The students also exhibited how they aid the community in policy making, and how to embrace local culture and traditions.
Anisha, one of the students, said they are able to do all this courtesy of their good up-bringing by the school. Andrew, the students’ leader, noted that they have been able to have mpact in 5 districts due to the good quality of education they access. Kamal, another student said that but for the Youth Forum, they would not have had any avenues through which to express them selves. Christopher Onyango, the program coordinator expressed gratitude to the organizers of the Commonwealth People’s Space for bearing young people in mind and giving them this opportunity to publicise their views.
Tuesday 20, British Council supported workshop that focused on Civil Leaders Effecting Transforming.
The workshop was based on the belief that civil society in the Commonwealth states has been widely heralded as the force to bring increasing democracy and equality to the world, often cited as a crucial counter-balance to private industry and governments.
At the end of the two days, participants from across the spectrum in the Commonwealth states had a lot to say about lessons learned and how they will use them in their future work and to overcome challenges.
CHOGM presents a unique opportunity to bring together Leaders and Ministers from throughout the Commonwealth to discuss issues which are not just of importance to the Commonwealth, but which are of global significance. The Government of Uganda, who are hosting the event, have chosen the theme “Transformation of Commonwealth Societies to achieve Political, Economic and Human Development”. Under that wider theme, we will be discussing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Climate Change, Trade, and Education. These are all key issues, which we believe need to be tackled head on if the poorest countries of the Commonwealth are to develop. And we firmly believe that the Commonwealth itself has an important role to play in these issues. As a unique grouping of countries from across the globe, with a fundamental set of principles in common, we, the Commonwealth, cut across traditional regional and economic groupings and can move the debate forward and take action on such issues of critical importance.
Civil society has an important role to play too. The Commonwealth People’s Forum, is an excellent opportunity to raise the visibility of civil society. Focussing on the theme of “Realising People’s Potential”, Ugandan and pan-Commonwealth organisations will discuss key issues such as democracy and development. Their views will then be presented to Heads of Government at CHOGM.
My best wishes for a successful Forum. I look forward to hearing the outcomes.
Today Syda Bbumba, Uganda’s Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development officiated at the opening of the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF) Commonwealth Network workshop. She could not spend too long there because she had to attend other workshops, but what she said still raised my eyebrows.
The workshop theme of Realising Women’s Potential in Transforming Commonwealth Societies through Financing Gender Equity Work is underpinned by a debate on financing for gender equity and the implementation of international human rights treaties and conventions within Commonwealth countries.
These were the issues that Ms. Bbumba raised: “Women’s issues are allocated the least in budgets. We need to strengthen the implementation of the Beijing Platform of action, and identify and mobilise resources across all sectors to finance gender equity work,” she said.
Yet having said that she failed to speak of the minimal funding for gender equity work from governments such as Uganda.
However, interestingly she did refer to the fact that Tanzania is one country that has set the pace when it comes to financing gender equity work. I almost laughed out when she said that Uganda was following in its footsteps. “Just how is that?” I could not help but wonder, considering Uganda is a government that at onetime was at the forefront of financing women’s issues and today seems merely to give the issue lip service!
Ever wondered why so many women die in child birth each year and yet programmes to educate them on sexual reproductive health issues receive little or no funding? If there is a country that needs preaching to as far as financing gender equity work goes, then I think Uganda should be at the forefront.
There is no doubt that there is little commitment to financing gender equity work since most gender policies are defined by decision makers who are mostly men and so seem to have little commitment to financing work that will transform women’s lives.
Mr Dhesigen Naidoo, a public policy expert from the Department of Science and Technology, South Africa speaks to Emmanuel Gyezaho, in a candid interview in which he boldly states that the Commonwealth people “know our problems” and “have the solutions.”
Mr Naidoo presented a paper on Technology Innovations and Diversification at a Workshop on Knowledge Innovation for Economic Transformation. He listed the following factors as the strategic bottlenecks to innovation in the Commonwealth.
Slow growth in the knowledge base
Declining interests in science and technology in young people
Brain circulation skewed in favour of developed countries
Even where there is a reasonable knowledge base, we have an Innovation Chasm
Journalists covering the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Peoples Forum (CPF) in Kampala yesterday faced-off with Ugandan security officials over media accreditation to the summit.
Trouble begun after officials of President Yoweri Museveni’s elite protection unit, the Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB), barred reporters who didn’t carry a “special” accreditation tag, from covering the opening gala.
It was in many ways a bizarre spectacle as it turned out that reporters were never informed that they needed additional accreditation, on top of the official media accreditation issued by the Commonwealth Secretariat. Worse still, the security officials took the decision to issue a second accreditation without informing the Secretariat.
It was a frustrating experience for many reporters, both local and international, especially those who have travelled thousands of miles to cover one of the biggest events on the Commonwealth calendar this year. I spoke to Mr Julius Mucunguzi, a communications officer in charge of media and broadcasting at the Commonwealth Secretariat, and while he expressed utter shock at the organizational hitch, he was very optimistic it wouldn’t affect the smooth running of the event.
But we cannot forget that this was the opening of the largest civil society event this year, a grouping of people better known for their love-hate relationship with politicians and the government.
And we also know that civil society has often been accused of hiding behind the media in promoting interests not favourable to the state. So were there any ulterior motives in issuing a second accreditation? Why was the Commonwealth Secretariat kept in the dark?
These are questions that need answers. It would be a sad commentary for Uganda as host, if such organizational hitches continue at the ensuing Commonwealth events.
Many of us in middle-class Africa never have to think about what we want to study in school. Our parents (God bless them) usually send us to the schools they’ve been to and model us along their dreams for us. Other times, circumstances dictate what we become: we always go for what’s most accessible, most affordable and most financially beneficial to us (and our dear old parents).
The current phasing out of sponsorship for students of the humanities and social sciences at the Higher Education level in Uganda is one such circumstance. Today, secondary schools in Uganda have resorted to ‘forcing’ their students to offer science courses in a bid to push for more students on the Government sponsored scheme.
That’s what prompts me to speak to Dr. Narciso Matos a Chemist by training and a scientist by choice, about the need for holistic educational policies in sustainable development.
Dr. Matos was the Keynote speaker this morning at the Education for Transformation workshop.of the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF)
Going under the theme ‘Joined up Policies to Develop Commonwealth Education’ Dr Matos pointed out that while science is important for its research, its social and economic value and the promotion of knowledge, it is only a harmonized and diversified system of education that will bring the Commonwealth countries to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations as well as sustainable development.
I asked him to comment on Uganda’s new education policy to sponsor sciences at Higher Education level, at the expense of humanities and social sciences.
Here is a sense of what happened at the opening ceremony. A few pictures and some audio.
SERVING THE NATION: A Ugandan policewoman struggles to hoist the flag of the Commonwealth Secretariat in the moments that preceded the opening of the Commonwealth People Forum at Hotel Africana yesterday. The country is basking in activity as it opens its doors to representatives of a third of the world’s population. Ugandan President, Mr Yoweri Museveni, has urged Ugandans to contribute to the success of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting taking place this week in Kampala by being hospitable.
The crowd listens to opening statements
President Museveni addresses the audience
ACHOLI DANCERS: CPF delegates were treated to a pulsating performance by the Acholi Cultural Foundation, a group of talented folk song and traditional dancers from northern Uganda. The group staged a renowned dance presentation, one that greets the installation of a new cultural chief or one only performed when an important person visits the Acholi people.
Download a low bandwidth audio clip of the Acholi dancers here, or press play below:
Growing up in a remote village within the small mountain state of Himachal Pradesh north of India, Asha Kanwar considers education the basis of all development. Being the first generation of an illiterate family to go to school, Asha says education has been a life-changing experience for her.
