The Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity, UK is inviting research proposals on the topic: 'Ethnicity, Inequalities and Conflicts in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria'. This is open to all social scientists generally.

The Education Program Coordinator will be based in Monrovia 40% and in the field 60% of the time and will be supervised by the IRC Liberia Deputy Director, Programs. The EPC will receive technical support from the Education Technical Advisor based in IRC New York. Responsibilities include program development and management, staff supervision, resource management, and representation.

Tanzania's newly elected president, Jakaya Kikwete, has pledged to invest heavily in scientific training, research and development to overcome years of neglect for the field. Kikwete told SciDev.Net on the eve of the election (13 December) that the US$600,000 research budget allocated to the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology was "a joke". He commented that the sum might only be enough to properly fund a single large research project.

At least 3,000 pupils failed to report back to school in Mandera District after reportedly crossing into Ethiopia and Somalia with their parents as the drought in the country rages. According to an official of the Kenya National Union of Teachers: "Most pupils will be forced to discontinue their classes as most pastoralist families continue to move with their stock out of the district.”