adminA companion e-book produced by TrustAfrica and the online newspaper, the Mail & Guardian, sets out a compelling outline of the challenges facing African higher education today. In combination, these challenges, which we have summarised below, provide the rationale for the recent summit. “Unprecedented growth” – Enrolment in African higher education institutions has climbed sharply over the last 15 years, growing approximately 170 percent from 3,53 million students in 1999 (2,25 million in sub-Saharan Africa and 1,28 million in North Africa) to 9,54 million in 2012 (6,34 million in sub-Saharan and 3,2 million in North Africa). The system is now under considerable strain to accommodate this growth and to keep pace with future demand.
Limited research capacity – The authors note that, “As a whole, Africa spends less than 0,5 percent of its GDP on research.” They see this as a major challenge to the continent’s development, particularly given the wide-ranging social and economic impacts of advanced research.
Access to faculty – African institutions have struggled to recruit and retain faculty, due in part to funding limitations but also to the availability of qualified candidates for faculty positions. This bears on the capacity of African institutions but also on their ability to undertake scholarly research and to expand postgraduate education.
In short, African institutions face a cyclical challenge whereby they have a limited pool of prospective faculty members but also a limited capacity to produce PhD-qualified faculty themselves.
Keeping pace with demand – “A significant increase in student enrolment in African universities in order to absorb the increasing demand for higher education is fuelled by the massification of primary and secondary education,” say the authors. “Private higher education, which accounted for 22 percent of higher education students on the continent in 2006, is growing faster in many African countries, due in part to major policy reforms (and deregulation) carried out by governments.”
The employability challenge – For the most part, increased post-secondary enrolment in Africa has not translated into a corresponding improvement in graduate employability. This is due in part to a disconnect between the number of graduates (and their qualifications) and the needs of employers.
The funding challenge – African higher education needs more money. “There is need for increased commitment on the part of governments and the private sector to invest in higher education, science and technology, research and innovation.” And funding, quite naturally, was a core issue under consideration in Senegal.
Dr Patrick Awuah is the founder of Ashesi University of Ghana and he commented during the summit, “Africa is spending a billion dollars on African higher education. We need to be spending $50 billion to close the gap.” – monitor.icef.com
Online Reporter