MADAGASCAR: Universities to introduce Bologna

The Madagascan Ministry for Higher Education is preparing to start introducing the Bologna process in its universities in the new academic year, reported L'Express de Madagascar of Antananarivo. But at least one university president does not believe the schedule is realistic.

The paper said the Ministry was planning to resume movement towards Bologna with the framework legislation that the previous government established.

"We are now finalising this law's order of application; we think we shall implement it at the end of the year," the paper quoted Judith Razafimbelo, Director-general at the Ministry, as saying.

But the paper added that it did not look as if the changeover would take place in all the six universities simultaneously, as not all of them had the complete documentation necessary. "Some institutions are preparing to switch to the system, but it's up to the authorisation council to look at their records," said Razafimbelo.

Although under the Mades development project the French government had contributed 5,000,000 ariary (US$2,600) towards the transfer to the Bologna system, some university presidents expressed doubts, reported L'Express.

One told the paper: "On a practical level, I don't think the transfer can take place at the next academic year. This system requires so many processes, just to mention the administrative slowness in setting up an appropriate education service."