For Immediate Release
- October 8, 1996
Mmari named as COL's Eastern Africa rep.
VANCOUVER -
Dato' Dr. Gajaraj Dhanarajan , President of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), has announced the appointment o f Professor Geoffrey R.V. Mmari as COL's operational representative for Eastern Africa.
Professor Mmari is the Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Tanzania, and is a former Vice Chancellor of both the University of Dar es Salaam (1988 - 1991) and Tanzania's Sokoine University of Agriculture (1984 - 1988).
He has a rich background of contributions to the education sector, having been headmaster of a secondary school before becoming a professor of mathematics education at the University of Dar es Salaam, in 1975, and then serving as the University's arts and social sciences dean from 1977 to 1982 and its chief academic officer from 1982 to 1984.
Professor Mmari is also Chairman of the Tanzania Library Services Board and the Tanzania Posts Corporation, Vice-Chairman of the Tanzania Family Planning Association, and was Chairman of the Tanzania School of Journalism from 1984 to 1994.
Dhanarajan is excited about the first formal appointment of a regional adviser and representative for Eastern Africa. "We are very fortunate that Professor Mmari has agreed to assist COL in actively engendering regional co-operation in this way. The region is quickly embracing open learning and distance education and Professor Mmari and the Open University of Tanzania are at the forefront of it," he said.
Dhanarajan also expressed his gratitude to the Open University of Tanzania and to Professor Mmari himself, for making the partnership arrangement possible. He noted that COL is creating several other similar adviser posts, in other regions of the Commonwealth, all of which will provide service on a non-remunerative basis in co-operation with local institutions.
As its representative in Southern Africa, COL has appointed Mr. Jakes Swartland, Co-ordinator, Revised Policy on Education, Botswana Ministry of Education and former Assistant Director responsible for the Education Department, Human Resources Development Division, at the Commonwealth Secretariat.
In Western Africa, Professor N.K. Pecku , Principal of the University College of Education in Winneba, Ghana, has accepted the position.
Africa is also represented on COL's Board of Governors by Mr. John Samuel, a Deputy Director-General in the South African Ministry of Education, and Mrs. Esi Sutherland-Addy of the University of Ghana's Institute of African Studies. Former Zimbabwe Minister of Education, Ms. Fay Chung also serves as an adviser to the Board in her capacity as Chief of UNICEF's education cluster.
The Commonwealth of Learning was established by Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1988. With headquarters based in Vancouver, the international organisation serves the 53-member Commonwealth with a mandate to widen opportunities for learning by promoting the development and sharing of distance education resources and communications technologies.
- 30 -
For further information contact:
Dave Wilson,
Public Affairs Officer
The Commonwealth
of Learning
1285 West Broadway, Suite 600
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada, V6H 3X8
Tel: (604) 775 8259
Fax: (604) 775 8210
Videoconference Room (H.320 - 112/128 Kbps) (604) 739 6501/6521