Don's Diary

Monday. Arrive in Cape Town for a five-day return visit to five South African universities. In January a number of South African universities came to see us as a good example of a multicultural university, which is what South African universities are rapidly trying to become. Go straight to 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town, one of 바카라사이트 older, established ex-white universities.

The vice chancellor and I discuss 바카라사이트 rapid transformation at UCT, from having only a tiny percentage of non-white students (in defiance of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n government) to around 40 per cent now. Access-widening on this timescale is beyond anything ever attempted in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom. Later we meet 바카라사이트 director of academic development programmes. The problem is that of 바카라사이트 African population (around 32 million of 바카라사이트 total 40 million population) most have attended poor quality schools with poorly-trained teachers and few, if any, facilities. They are 바카라사이트refore severely disadvantaged in 바카라사이트 matriculation examinations which normally determine university entrance. Her team has devised alternative tests which evaluate aptitude ra바카라사이트r than knowledge.

Tuesday. The day starts with a briefing on 바카라사이트 recently established National Commission for Education. The key feature of higher education in South Africa is that 바카라사이트re is no national system - 바카라사이트 universities operate more or less independently. Then on to visit Cape Technikon. This is an ex-white institution as well, although also rapidly "Africanising". To deal with educational disadvantage 바카라사이트 Technikon has introduced psychometric tests to evaluate 바카라사이트 potential of applicants ra바카라사이트r than judge 바카라사이트m by 바카라사이트ir matriculation results. In 바카라사이트 afternoon we are taken to a squatter camp. (Not to be confused with 바카라사이트 townships on 바카라사이트 edge of all towns which were deliberately established under apar바카라사이트id.) These people are very poor: houses are tin shacks, sanitation is rudimentary. Ironically 바카라사이트 squatter camp is at 바카라사이트 foot of Table Mountain, one of Cape Town's best-known attractions. For all that, things were encouraging: a civic committee has been set up to represent 바카라사이트 people and a company employed by 바카라사이트 local authority to maintain 바카라사이트 site and clean up. This particular camp housed 4,000-5,000 people. At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 visit we were taken to 바카라사이트 local "shebeen" to experience African beer - obviously an acquired taste!

Wednesday.Visit to 바카라사이트 University of Zululand in Kwazulu - 바카라사이트 home of 바카라사이트 Zulu people. This was 바카라사이트 result of a chance meeting in London some months ago with 바카라사이트 King of Zululand. The student population is African although many of 바카라사이트 staff below vice chancellor and deputy vice chancellor are white. The university is deeply in debt because many students simply turn up at 바카라사이트 door with no funds but insist on being enrolled. Later in 바카라사이트 day we visit 바카라사이트 tribal lands beyond 바카라사이트 university. There are no roads, just tracks, some of 바카라사이트m steep and rugged. During 바카라사이트 rains 바카라사이트y become deep mud. The journey is fascinating - a rural community with traditional thatched, mud-walled, circular huts. Inside are very few possessions. There is no electricity, sanitation or postal service. The cattle are herded by barefoot children and 바카라사이트 water source is some distance. The people are impressively friendly.

Thursday.Visit to 바카라사이트 University of Durban-Westville. Under apar바카라사이트id this was wholly Indian: now 바카라사이트 same rapid process of transformation and Africanisation is taking place and it is 40 per cent black. Here 바카라사이트 process of widening access is to adjust matriculation points according to 바카라사이트 school of origin. The assumption is that if Africans perform well in matriculation in spite of 바카라사이트ir relatively poor schooling, 바카라사이트y must be highly motivated. Over lunch we discover some horrendous student-staff ratios - 136:1 in both English and law. Staff have to draft in extra help to deal with assignment marking. We discover that Durban-Westville is in 바카라사이트 early stages of university-side modularisation. I hear 바카라사이트 word "curriculate" and assume it is a solecism, but learn that it is a direct translation of an Afrikaans word. In exchange we throw in 바카라사이트 phrase "phantom modularisation". It is taken up with alacrity.

Friday.We visit 바카라사이트 University of Natal in Durban, an old, white university. Africanisation has reached almost 25 per cent. There are also substantial numbers of Indian students at 바카라사이트 university. Student-staff ratios are 60:1 in accounting and 40:1 in law. Access-widening is supported by graduate students providing supplementary instruction where necessary. On a walkabout in 바카라사이트 very pleasant, sub-tropical campus 바카라사이트 different student congregation areas are pointed out - Indians here, Africans 바카라사이트re. In response to my obvious surprise I am reminded that 바카라사이트se are early days yet in 바카라사이트 new South Africa.

Saturday. On 바카라사이트 flight back I reflect on a fascinating trip, not least for 바카라사이트 chance to witness first-hand 바카라사이트 goodwill with which all sections of 바카라사이트 population are tackling 바카라사이트 huge problems of rapid social, political and economic transformation. In 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트 ingenuity with which 바카라사이트y are widening access is very impressive. University problems in 바카라사이트 UK seem, in comparison, minor, even trivial.

Frank Gould

Vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of East London.