Local varsities adopt EA academic calendar

The School of Finance and Banking (SFB) is one of the first local universities to align its curriculum to the East African Community University calendar. Parliament this year resolved that all higher institutions of learning should start their academic year in September, similar to other East African universities, a departure from the routine January calendar. The universities agreed to gradually adjust to the EAC system, according to Dr Innocent Mugisha, the Director of Academic Quality at the Higher Education Council. “We met all the representatives of public and private universities following the directive and they all promised to have adopted the calendar by September 2012.” “Those that were better prepared, like Kigali Institute of Education and NUR (National University of Rwanda) have started adjusting, and the rest will comply soon, as we expect everyone to end up in the new system.” In this respect, SFB started their 2011-2012 Academic year yesterday after a brief holiday that started on August18. Dr Papias Musafiri, the Vice Rector for Academics at SFB, confirmed the new development to The New Times. He noted that classes began immediately, though Monday was also reserved as an orientation day for freshers. “The turn up was good on Monday, and continuing students started classes immediately. We have also finished orientation for first years and serious class business starts on Tuesday for them.” He warned that no student would be allowed to register for the year after September 11. The Director of Quality at the National University of Rwanda, Dr Bonfils Safari, said they would kick-start their new academic year on October 31. The Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), which was slower to adapt to the new directive, is scheduled to do so in December 2011. “We are now working hard towards adaptation to the change of the calendar, but come September 2012, we will be level with East Africa,” announced Prof John Mshana, the acting Rector of KIST. Only public institutions of higher learning are obliged to conform to the EAC standards, while private ones will have to adjust at their discretion. Ends