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Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Brief Overview. Sub-Saharan Africa. 54 countries ( E29, F20, P5 ) Population: 657 m. (28 persons/sq. km) Per capita income: USD 100 – 2,800 Life expectancy: 46 years Population growth rate: 2.3% HIV/AIDS infection: 5 - 30%

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Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  1. Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa A Brief Overview

  2. Sub-Saharan Africa • 54 countries (E29, F20, P5) • Population: 657 m. (28 persons/sq. km) • Per capita income: USD 100 – 2,800 • Life expectancy: 46 years • Population growth rate: 2.3% • HIV/AIDS infection: 5 - 30% • Primary enrollment: 76% • Secondary enrollment: 26% • Tertiary enrollment: 4%

  3. Early African Universities • Established by colonial powers (English, French, Portuguese). • Strong links to European universities. • Role: lower and middle managers for colonial administrations; skilled craftsmen.

  4. Early African Universities • Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone, 1826 • Liberia College, 1862 • Fort Hare College, South Africa, 1916 • University of Ghana, 1948 • Ibadan University College, Nigeria,1948 • Makerere University College, Uganda,1949 • University of Dakar, Senegal, 1957 • University of Tananarive, Madagascar,1960

  5. Early African Universities • Six in 1960. • 1960s – the decade of independence • University role: produce government civil servants. • Incentives for university education: • Free tuition • Free room and board • Free books, transportation & pocket money

  6. African Universities Today • Total universities: 334 (127 private) • Tertiary enrollment ratio: 4% • Share of education budget: 9% – 35% • Expenditure per student: $500 - $1500 (excluding South Africa) • Percent female: 38% • Students in Science & Technology: 36% • Contribution to world knowledge: 0.3%

  7. Principal University Systems • Nigeria: 45 universities, 950,000. • South Africa: 34 universities, 500,000. • Sudan: 26 universities; 185,000. • Ethiopia: 8 universities; 177,000 • Kenya: 19 universities; 67,000. • Cameroon: 7 universities, 62,000.

  8. Main Issues: Rapid Expansion • Enrollment growth: 10% - 15% yearly. • New institutions: Half are 5 years old. • Strong demand is a political issue. • Acceptance of private provision. • Emergence of distance education: • Open University, Tanzania, 1992. • African Virtual University, 1997. • Open University, Zimbabwe, 1999. • Open University, Nigeria, 2004.

  9. Main Issues: Quality • Staff qualifications declining. • Little money for educational inputs. • Over-crowded classrooms. • Low salaries (USD 400 - 700 a month) • Little incentive or funds for research. • Very little budget for maintenance. • Quality assurance relatively new.

  10. Main Issues: Staffing • Aging professoriate. • HIV/AIDS. • Brain drain: 30% of Africa’s graduates • Women: 10 – 20% of academic staff.

  11. Main Issues: Relevance • Curricula outdated. • Public employment orientation. • Little interaction with employers. • Memorization, not problem-solving. • Research output minimal. • Limited ICT capacities.

  12. Main Issues: Management • Weak system management. • Few system support bodies. • Institutions led by academics. • Limited management information systems. • Human resource management not developed.

  13. Main Issues: Financing • Declining expenditure per student. • No tradition of cost-sharing. • Little capacity to manage student loans • Few skills or procedures for cost efficiency. • Often sizeable expenditure on student welfare. • Private provision is recent and small.

  14. Main Issues: ICT • Telecommunication costs are high. • Access to bandwidth is limited. • System maintenance is weak. • Skilled staff are difficult to recruit and retain. • Financial sustainability a challenge; high dependency on donors.

  15. New Developments • Open and distance learning. • Private provision. • India Institute of Technology model. • Community oriented universities. • Regional collaboration.

  16. World BankHigher Education Projects • Cameroon • Ethiopia • Ghana • Guinea • Mali • Mauritania • Mozambique • Rwanda • Uganda

  17. Types of Activities Financed • Strategy development • Innovation funds • Curriculum reforms • Staff development • Library and information access

  18. Future Bank Activities in Africa • Commission for Africa (Blair Report) • Africa Action Plan: • Emphasis shifts towards growth. • Higher education boosts productivity • Science & technology capacities • Research capacities • 8 new projects in next two years.

  19. Thank you William Saint Lead Education Specialist Africa Region

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