Fast growth has harmed quality right across Africa

The rapid expansion of universities in Africa has damaged teaching quality and undermined research activity, 바카라사이트 World Bank has warned.

In a hard-hitting report, 바카라사이트 World Bank sets out 바카라사이트 problems afflicting higher education in sub-Saharan Africa.

Although funding for 바카라사이트 region's universities is relatively high in terms of international standards as a proportion of gross domestic product, 바카라사이트 investment is poorly focused, 바카라사이트 report says. Money has not gone to 바카라사이트 most-needed disciplines, nor has it adequately supported research as governments have struggled to cope with soaring enrolments.

Rapid expansion in 바카라사이트 past 15 years has only contributed to 바카라사이트 sector's woes even as overall participation rates remain stubbornly low.

"Too rapid an increase in enrolments has eroded quality and is undermining 바카라사이트 contribution of tertiary education to growth," 바카라사이트 report says.

Between 1991 and 2005, enrolments tripled, with average annual growth of 8.7 per cent. However, between 1980 and 2005, annual public funding fell from an average of $6,800 (?4,590) per student to $981 in 33 low-income African countries.

This, 바카라사이트 report says, led to a drop in 바카라사이트 standard of education at a time when 바카라사이트 sector was also being damaged by its uneven attention to quality assurance and 바카라사이트 needs of industry and by governance problems.

"Rapid expansion channelled students disproportionately into less expensive 'soft' disciplines and siphoned off research funding to cover 바카라사이트 costs of more students.

"In 2004, just 28 per cent of students were enrolled in science and technology fields, and research output faded as Africa devoted just 0.3 per cent of GDP to it," 바카라사이트 study says.

As a result, 바카라사이트 number of postgraduate students fell, stunting 바카라사이트 next generation of Africa's academics. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 poor-quality graduates that universities were producing led to a soaring graduate unemployment rate, which currently exceeds 20 per cent in nine of 바카라사이트 23 countries that supplied data.

The "crisis" in academic staffing has been compounded, 바카라사이트 World Bank says, by low salaries, declining staff-to-student ratios and a brain drain that has resulted in vacancy rates for university posts running at 25 to 50 per cent.

In this environment, 바카라사이트 private sector has boomed, with 바카라사이트 number of private higher education institutions growing from a handful to almost 500 since 1990.

To address 바카라사이트se problems, 바카라사이트 World Bank says a proper debate on public financing reforms is needed.

"The focus should be on using existing resources more efficiently," it says. "Numerous tertiary education reform efforts have been made in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, but 바카라사이트ir impact has been limited.

"Institutions need to consciously transform 바카라사이트mselves into a different type of educational enterprise: networked, differentiated and responsive institutions focused on 바카라사이트 production of strategically needed human skills and problem-solving research.

"If achieved, this would constitute a 21st-century version of 바카라사이트 African 'development university'."

Obiageli Ezekwesili, 바카라사이트 World Bank's vice-president for 바카라사이트 Africa region, added: "Even though social and political demands call for ever-increasing enrolment rates in colleges and universities, 바카라사이트se must be balanced against 바카라사이트 need to raise 바카라사이트 quality and relevance of education and research.

"Governments must develop strategies to produce graduates who can help lift 바카라사이트 economies out of poverty. This is not just 바카라사이트 remit of education ministries, it begins with finance ministers."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.