COTE D'IVOIRE

Measures to boost academic working conditions, quality
The government of President Alassane Ouattara has adopted measures to improve working conditions for university lecturers and researchers in Côte d’Ivoire, and to raise the quality of education.Bruno Koné, government spokesman and minister for the digital economy and post, said a draft order concerning scientific research “aims mainly to bring calm to the higher education environment and guarantee good quality education and research in higher education institutions".
“This order reflects the wish of the head of state to make higher education and research one of the major levers for the development of the country,” reported Le Patriote of Abidjan.
Koné said the government order would enable improvements to be made to universities’ facilities, quality of education and working conditions of teaching and research staff. It fixed increased amounts of research bonuses and defined methods of payment.
Meanwhile Professor Ramata Ly-Bakayoko, the new minister for higher education and research, visited the Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire or IPCI, where she praised the quality of research carried out under the director, Professor Mireille Dosso, reported Le Patriote.
“IPCI does the medical scientific community proud through its very high quality scientific work,” said Ly-Bakayoko. She promised her support for a project to install a high security laboratory for research into dangerous diseases, which required authorisation from the prime minister.
She said a research fund of FCFA 500 million (US$868,000) proved the great importance Ouattara accorded to research.
During her visit the minister inspected the department of medical and fundamental biochemistry, malarial unit, antibiotics reference centre, environmental and health department, epidemic viruses department, molecular biology facilities, entomology and herpetology unit, and the centre of biological resources, reported Le Patriote.
* This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.