Day: June 24, 2023

Kisii Governor, Simba Arati on Friday officiated the launch and disbursement of the County Bursary Fund totaling Sh. 145 million to selected beneficiaries in the 45 wards within the county. Speaking at Gusii Stadium during the launch, Arati reported that for the last four years, the county had no bursary fund since the money that was meant for bursary had allegedly been diverted to other uses by the previous administration. The Governor lauded the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) for ensuring that funds were availed for the bursary through its inclusion in the Supplementary Budget for the 2022/2023 financial year. The county boss said the bursary was meant to support needy students adding that education is a worthy equalizer that enables even the poor of the poor to scale the socio-economic, political, and even the leadership ladder. He recognized the efforts of the county officials including the Deputy Governor, CECMs and Chief Officers, which saw a number of children who had been stranded due to financial challenges, join form one through the leaders’ personal donations. Arati said that each ward had been allocated Sh. 3 million and the execution of the funds was conducted transparently with the support of the MCAs adding that his administration will allocate Sh. 5 million in subsequent budgets. In addition, the Governor noted that he led the distribution of the bursary forms in all the wards while working jointly with the National Government Administration officials in a deliberate effort to instill good order and transparency. Further, he said that his administration will be sending the money directly to the respective school fees accounts for the 1250 benefiting schools in order to deter any form of mischief and fraud with regard to the disbursement of the funds. ‘I challenge the benefiting students to work diligently and post impressive academic performance as this is the only way that we can realize value for the bursary programme,’ the County Boss said. In a bid to improve the education sector in the county, Arati noted they are seeking to absorb the Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers on permanent terms, modernize the ECDE centers as well as revamp the Vocational Training Centres in order for learners to access quality education.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Security forces in Sfax arrested four sub-Saharan Africans on Friday evening for carrying and possessing bladed weapons, assault with aggravated violence and taking part in a brawl, said official spokesperson for the Sfax 2 Court of First Instance and prosecutor at the same court, Hichem Ksibi. The four were arrested and detained after a fight broke out on the Menzel Chaker road between two groups of sub-Saharan Africans using bladed weapons, he added. The accused were detained to answer the charges against them pending further investigation, the same source told TAP.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

“The low success rates recorded in the interior regions in the main session of the 2023 baccalaureate testify, once again, to the depth of the crisis in the education system,” the Tunisian Forum for Economic Rights (FTDES) pointed out on Friday. In a press release issued following the announcement on Friday of the results of the main baccalaureate session, the FTDES considers that the low success rates recorded in the interior regions are in line with the low rates of growth and development in these same regions. The FTDES argues that the adoption of the same development model based on social inequalities and regional disparities only serves to deepen inequalities in access to quality education for all learners in the same country. “Actually, the persistence of choices to privatise education services, whether regulated (private education) or informal (private tuition), through the reduction of State spending on social services in general and education in particular, has led to the degradation of infrastructures and the limitation of the necessary recruitment of teaching staff, thus depriving pupils from poor and vulnerable categories of the principle of equal opportunities,” underlines the Forum. Accordingly, it underlines the need to speed up reforms in line with a vision of inclusive development that would promote public education to foster social progress. With a success rate of 56.05%, the region of Sfax 1 ranked first in the main session of the 2023 baccalaureate. Sfax 2 came second with a success rate of 51.31%. The third place went to Sousse with a success rate of 50.76%. At the bottom of the ranking come Sidi Bouzid (30.67%), Kairouan (30.41%), Tozeur (29.11%), Jendouba (27.52%), Gafsa (25.38%) and Kasserine (23.65%).

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Prime Minister Najla Bouden, on Saturday, called on the regional committees in charge of monitoring the social housing programme to finalise the lists of beneficiaries and remove procedural obstacles so that these beneficiaries can obtain their homes as soon as possible. Presiding over a working session on the progress of the specific social housing programme held at the Government Palace in Kasbah, Bouden stressed the need to establish a clear timetable for this purpose, the implementation of which will be reviewed at a forthcoming ministerial meeting, according to a press release issued by the Prime Ministry. At the meeting, which was also attended by Sarra Zaafrani, the Minister of Housing, Kamel Feki, the Minister of the Interior, and a number of governors, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of this social programme aimed at providing decent housing for poor and low-income groups.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

President Kais Saied visited the El Aouina military base Saturday, on the 67th anniversary of the creation of the National Army. On his arrival, the Head of State was greeted by Minister of National Defence, Imed Memmich, as well as a number of senior military officers and officials, according to a video posted by the Presidency. Kais Saied exchanged views with the officials present before attending the screening of a documentary on the areas of intervention and activities of the three corps of the national army in terms of securing the borders and the national territory, rescue, first aid and disaster management. The documentary shows the army’s efforts in the field of development, in particular the Rejim Maatoug projects and the development of the Kebili region, as well as the provision of health services to citizens and its contribution to the electoral process. Earlier, during a ceremony at the Carthage Palace, the President of the Republic stressed that every Tunisian should pay tribute to the national armed forces and be proud of this unwavering bulwark that never ceases to defend the homeland with dedication and self-sacrifice. On this occasion, he saluted the national flag, decorated a number of military personnel and paid tribute to the martyrs and wounded of the military institution.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

President Kais Saïed, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Saturday chaired a ceremony in Carthage to mark the 67th anniversary of the National Army. The President of the Republic issued the Order of the Day. He also saluted the flag as the national anthem was performed and reviewed a detachment of the three armies. Saïed promoted a number of officers and non-commissioned officers and decorated others with military insignia in acknowledgement of their efforts. “Tunisians need to salute proudly the national army which protects Tunisia and Tunisians with iron determination,” Saïed added. The President paid a posthumous tribute to martyrs among the military personnel and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. The Head of State also praised the army for efforts made to secure the progress of public works and the smooth conduct of national exams as well as elections. The national army, he said, plays a key role in peacekeeping missions across the world. The ceremony was attended by National Defence Minister Imed Memmich and members of the Supreme Council of the Armies.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse