PIASS KARONGI CAMPUS STAFF RETREAT OF MARCH 04, 2022 (KARONGI CAMPUS)

With the purpose of improving quality of services at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS), a staff retreat on March 4, 2022 at Karongi Campus, with the aim ‘to discuss how services to its clients mainly students and the community could be improved’. The retreat was chaired by Rev. Prof. Elisée MUSEMAKWELI, the Vice Chancellor of PIASS

In this retreat, the Vice chancellor of PIASS highlighted that all departments should work together in order to provide quality service to the students and community members who need services from the institution. He reminded to both administration, academic and supporting staff that through quality service PIASS will be sustainable increase its reputation not only locally but also outside our environment. In this regards, commitment, collaboration, team working and information sharing should be the core values in every day’s work for everyone.

In connection with this, The Vice Chancellor highlighted some issues concerning human resources management policy where he emphasized that all the staff should comply with the policy. The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academics (DVCA) Prof. Uwimbabazi Penine appreciated what have been done so far at the Campus level, and she asked the academic staff to make sure that the academic year is starting and ending on time so that students may know in which academic year they are. In addition to this, she requested that a well detailed plan indicating how the remaining courses will be taught and evaluated, must be done and submitted to the office of DVCA as soon as possible..

The Director of Quality Assurance (DQA) Dr. Umuziranenge Gloriose had informed that from this academic year, the second sittings will no longer be done in PIASS, according to the PIASS Senate resolutions. Instead of second sitting exams, remedial exam will be provided. She asked the Coordinator to inform the students about this so that they must know it from the beginning. In this regard, she requested that the students’ progressive assessments should be strengthened. From this purpose, the collaboration between Huye and Karongi campuses in terms of information sharing and harmonization of practices and activities should be strengthened.

She also informed about the recent visit of Higher Education Council (HEC) emphasized that filing of academic documents (timetables, academic calendars, teaching plans, students’ marks, syllabuses, etc) have to be done properly. It is in this regards, she urged that from now on those documents should be ready and being filed according to the academic years.

On behalf of the staff members, The Coordinator of PIASS Karongi Campus Dr. Sibomana Innocent talked about the progress of the campus in terms of service delivery, and improvement in dealing with different issues be it academic related or administrative and service to the community. He therefore, requested all the staff to keep that spirit of working as a team, and together we shall overcome different challenges the campus is facing. He acknowledged that the campus is in a strategic location in the center of different districts (Karongi, Rutsiro, Nyamasheke, Rubavu, Muhanga, ..) and this is the potential for getting more students as long as the marketing is done properly. He promised to The Vice Chancellor that marketing strategies will be put in place in order to attract as many students as possible.

The Vice Chancellor of PIASS appreciated the commitment which was shown by PIASS Karongi Campus staff and he granted the full support from the top management of PIASS as well as the direct collaboration between Huye and Karongi campuses