Africa Virtual University - AVU

On 3rd February 2010, the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education in Zimbabwe, Hon. Lutho Tapela, officially launched the AVU Teacher Education Virtual Consortium, which will oversee a virtual training for teachers. The AVU will facilitate a virtual training program for teachers in 10 African Countries. The program is already on progress in the Universitė Cheikh Anta Diop in Senegal and Kyambogo University in Uganda. Other beneficiary countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The program is funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and partly by the UNDP.

Delegates from over 15 countries in Africa representing Ministries of Education, Universities, Teachers' Unions and Strategic Partners implemented strategies in each country that will ensure the extension of the program to more universities and countries as well as the long term sustainability of this initiative.  

The Teacher Education Virtual Consortium is a committee of the AVU Board of Directors. Its members include: Jimma University in Ethiopia; University of Nairobi in Kenya; Universite d’Antananarivo in Madagascar; Univasidade Pedagogica in Mozambique; Universite Chiek Anta Diop (UCAD) in Senegal; Amoud University, University of Hargeisa and East African University in Somalia; Open University of Tanzania; Kyambogo University in Uganda; University of Zambia; and University of Zimbabwe.

The goals of the consortium include development of Distance eLearning centres,  capacity enhancement for members; as well as for the development and management of distance learning programs.  

Teacher Education Programme concluding meeting

A two day Teacher Education Programme concluding meeting was held from 2-3 February in Nairobi. The meeting was officially opened by the Senior Deputy Director, Ministry of Higher Education Science and Technology in Kenya, Ms. Fenny Mwakisha.