19 3.2 THE MAJOR ISSUES
1. Access
Admission, especially into our public universities under Government subsidy has become extremely difficult for most qualifying students. Every year, many students attain the university cut-off grades but due to limited resources in the public universities, only a few manage to get themselves absorbed. The rest, who in most cases cannot afford the high fees charged by private institutions both locally and overseas, end up frustrated in their bid to acquire higher education. In Kenya, for instance, although the cut-off for joining public universities is grade C+, thousands of students who acquire that grade do not get admitted due to lack of places in the existing public universities.
In an attempt to reduce the problem of access, the public universities in the region are opening up their doors to other students under private sponsorship (commonly referred to as the parallel degree programme). This programme has also seen these institutions generate some extra finance which is ploughed back into their recurrent and development expenditure. There have been reports of conflicts, however, between the Government- and privately-sponsored students. The former feel that the latter are not qualified to join universities and may therefore water down university standards, while at the same time causing unnecessary congestion at the hitherto revered institutions.
2. Funding
Public universities in Africa have traditionally relied on Government funding to carry out their activities. Due to the harsh economic atmosphere witnessed by the region over the recent past, Government support to these institutions has seen a steady decline, and the universities have been forced to operate under very tight budgets. The situation has not been made any better by the structural adjustment programmes prescribed by our bilateral partners. The universities have therefore been forced to rethink their strategy, and possibly look for extra sources of financing including establishing income-generating activities.
3. Academic Quality
Although it is readily accepted that academic quality – how good the academic programmes are in relation to agreed-upon standards – is an important component of higher education, many higher education institutions in Africa have had to relegate this important element to the periphery. Most of these institutions are actually struggling to survive in the light of the many challenges they are currently facing, and no much attention is currently being paid to the critical issues of academic excellence.
In light of these, it would be important to have regional bodies which can liaise with other international organizations in the field of quality assurance and accreditation so as to campaign for excellence in academic provision. The IUCEA is already very active in plans to establish a regional Quality Assurance body for universities in the East African region. This body will, among other things, be charged with the task of carrying out systematic and thorough examination of the performance of the various academic institutions, including the management and relevance of their academic programmes, manner of conducting the programmes, the teaching quality of academic staff, and the quality of their outputs (graduates, research, publications, consultancy and service delivery).
4. Curriculum Reform
Closely related to academic quality is the curriculum. The general purpose of education is increasingly perceived as preparation for the world in which students will live. With that perception, there are increasing expectations that college curricula must enhance the readiness of students for smooth settlement into their relatively new environments. At the same time, as colleges and universities become increasingly international in their service missions – continuing education, technical assistance, student and faculty exchange, and programme development – the challenge of internationalising the disciplines follows. Related to such a challenge are public expectations concerning the role of higher education in economic growth, in adapting to technological change, and in coping with many other demands of rapid cultural change.
Most institutions of higher learning in the region still rely on curricula which were developed in the early 70s and which have not had any major overhaul to reflect the current changes in society. When designing their curricula – and as a lifelong source of professional training, updating and recycling – institutions of higher education will have to systematically take into account trends in the world of work and in the scientific, technological and economic sectors. In order to respond to the work requirements, higher education systems and the world of work will have to jointly develop and assess learning processes which integrate theory and training on the job.
5. University Governance and Management
The experiences witnessed in our universities during the recent past have underscored the need for better governance of universities in terms of efficiency, accountability, transparency and flexibility, so that they can respond more effectively to the diverse and continuously changing needs of learners. Reform of educational management (especially higher education) is urgently needed – to move from highly centralised, standardised and command-driven forms of management to more decentralised and participatory decision-making, implementation and monitoring at lower levels of accountability. Current leaders will need to be (re)trained, new leaders prepared, and students identified who will both lead and study higher education for the future.
6. Educational Environments
To offer education of good quality, educational institutions and programmes must be adequately and equitably resourced, with the core requirements of safe, environmentally friendly and easily accessible facilities; well motivated and professionally competent teachers; and books, other learning materials and technologies that are context-specific, cost-effective and available to all learners.
Most higher education institutions in Africa lack the major ingredients of healthy, safe and protective learning environments with respect to the following:
i) Adequate water and sanitation facilities;
ii) Access to or linkages with health and nutrition services;
iii) Policies and codes of conduct that enhance physical, psycho-social and emotional health of teachers and learners; and
iv) Education content and practices leading to knowledge, attitudes, values, and life skills needed for self-esteem, good health, and personal safety.
7. Accreditation
The current trend is toward the establishment of regional agencies to streamline accreditation procedures for universities and colleges, a dimension which is currently lacking in most parts of Africa. It will be necessary to have regional bodies in Africa to rationalize accreditation at regional level, by bringing colleges and universities together in a network that would encourage them to strive for self-evaluation and self-assessment, and encourage use of peer review to obtain compliance with agreed-upon standards. These standards would have requirements relating mainly to institutional purpose and objective, organization and administration, financial resources, physical plant, learning and library resources, student services, faculty, and educational programmes.
8. Information and Communication Technologies
Although ICT has generally become a major ingredient of higher education in most parts of the world, African institutions still lag behind in embracing this great educational tool. There is still need, in Africa, to tap the potential of ICT to enhance data collection and analysis, and to strengthen management systems in educational institutions; to improve access to education by remote and disadvantaged communities; to support initial and continuing professional development of teachers; and to provide opportunities to communicate across classrooms and cultures. African higher education managers will need to work closely together to establish clearer policies in regard to science and technology, and to undertake critical assessments of ICT experiences and options including their resource implications in relation to the provision of education, emphasizing choices that bridge the ‘digital divide,’ increase access and quality, and reduce inequality.
9. University Links with the Private Sector
African universities will need to establish close links and cordial relationships not only amongst themselves, but also between themselves and the private sector, both locally and at the international level. This is due to the justified belief that the roles of universities and that of industry are complimentary to each other. The resources and capabilities of universities and colleges are needed in human capital formation, research and development, technological innovation, technology management, and international competition.
10. Student Affairs
A crucially important component of any university system – and which is often ignored in most African university set-ups – is the student welfare. Leaders of higher education institutions must work to establish the real causes of students’ frequent expression of disaffection with the management of many public universities, often resulting in frequent riots and closures of these institutions. National and institutional decision-makers will have to place students and their needs at the centre of their concerns, and to consider them as major partners and responsible stakeholders in the renewal of higher education. This would include student involvement in issues that affect that level of education, in evaluation, the renovation of teaching methods and curricula, and in the framework of policy formulation and institutional management.
11. Staff Development
It is now widely acknowledged that the health of higher education depends entirely on its staff, whether academic, professional, or administrative. There has, however, been increasing concern amongst higher education staff – especially in Africa – that they have not received the recognition, opportunities for personal development, or the rewards that their contribution merits. This has worked negatively in the morale of these staff, and the result has been a downward trend in the quality of service they offer.
A vigorous policy on staff development must form an essential element of higher education institutions. Higher education institutions in Africa will have to develop clear policies concerning teaching staff, who nowadays need to focus on teaching students how to learn and how to take initiatives, rather than being exclusively founts of knowledge. Adequate provision will have to be made for research and for updating and improving pedagogical skills, through appropriate staff development programmes, encouraging constant innovation in curriculum, teaching and learning methods, and ensuring appropriate professional and financial status.
12. Gender Issues
Higher education in Africa, just like most important sectors, is still male dominated; the girl child is still discriminated against when it comes to provision of access, especially to university education. A lot still needs to be done in the African region toward the development of attitudes and behaviours that incorporate gender awareness and analysis, and that are sensitive to all forms of gender bias in the education system. Efforts in support of gender equality will have to include specific actions to address discrimination resulting from social attitudes and practices, economic status and culture. In the learning environment, the content, processes, and context of education will have to be free of gender bias, and must encourage and support equality and respect, including teachers’ behaviours and attitudes, curriculum and textbooks, and student interactions.
