Ugee

Uganda tops EA in education

UGANDA still leads in education enrolment in East Africa, a UN report says. Enrollment at primary, secondary and tertiary levels is 63.0%, according to the 2007 United Nations Human Development Programme report, which is to be launched tomorrow. Kenya’s enrollment ratio stands at 60.6%, Rwanda’s 50.9% and Tanzania’s at 50.4%. Ugandan children reaching primary five increased from 36% in 1991 to 49% in 2004. At the same time, the youth literacy has increased from 69.8% to 76.6% over the same period. There has also been a slight decline in the number of children produced by every woman over the past two years. In 2005, each woman produced 7.1 children, today the average is 6.7 children. The report shows a decline in the population growth rate, from 3.3% in 2004 to 3.2% in 2005. The report, based on Human Development Index (HDI), monitors long-term progress in human development using three basic dimensions: a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living. In East Africa, Kenya has the lowest fertility rate at 5.0, followed by Tanzania, 5.7 and Rwanda 6.0. Niger’s is the highest in the world at 7.4, followed by Guinea Bissau, 7.1. Like Uganda, the DR Congo and Mali also have a fertility rate 6.7. The report shows that Uganda’s HDI has steadily improved from 0.480 in 2004 to 0.505 in 2005. But report shows that Uganda slipped in rank from last year’s 145th position to 154th out of 177 countries. Kenya’s HDI rank has improved from the 152nd position last year to 148th position. Uganda, however, performed better than Rwanda and Tanzania in 161st and 159th position respectively. The life expectancy of Ugandans has also improved from 47.3 to 49.7 years in 2007. Within the region, Kenyans live longest with a life expectancy of 52 years followed by Tanzania, 51 years. Rwanda has the lowest with 45.2 years. The report, “Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world”, also provides a stark account of the threat posed by global warming

 

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