scholarly journals Widening Participation in Ghana and Tanzania

Author(s):  
Louise Morley

?An interrogation under way is whether policies for widening participation in sub-Saharan Africa are working. That was one of the key questions addressed by the research project Widening Participation in Higher Education in Ghana and Tanzania: Developing an Equity Scorecard. Research teams found that the policies were working in the sense of increasing the overall number of students, especially women, participating in higher education. However, they found that poorer and mature students were still absent from many of the programs investigated in one public and one private university, in both Ghana and Tanzania. The universities included in the study did have quotas for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, but failed to fill them or monitor how many poorer students were participating and completing their studies. Students who did succeed, in entering university, shared helpful insights into their lived experiences.

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 374-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Effah

The study on ‘Widening Participation in Higher Education in Ghana and Tanzania: developing an Equity Scorecard’ is a contribution to making higher education more socially inclusive in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings reinforce some of the policy initiatives taken in Ghana and Tanzania, and underscore the importance of widening participation in higher education, as well as addressing associated issues of equity and quality. Although the higher education sector has expanded tremendously during the past two to three decades, enrolment at the tertiary level falls behind levels obtained in most developed countries. Access and equity continue to be issues, particularly in rural areas. This article responds to some of the findings in the research study. It identifies some of the policy initiatives by government and interventions taken by the tertiary education institutions to address the issue of access and equity in the provision of tertiary education. As a result of these initiatives, some students in rural areas have not only had the opportunity to enrol in competitive professional programmes like medicine and engineering, but have also been provided with avenues for upward social mobility. A number of recommendations are made towards canvassing support for broader involvement of all stakeholders in the process of promoting access and addressing inequalities.


2014 ◽  
pp. 14-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Morley

This article discusses the findings that relate to quality and standards in two private universities from a recent research study on widening participation in higher education in Ghana and Tanzania. It interrogates how students experience assessment, facilities, pedagogy and resources and whether the private universities attach value to the quality of student experiences. 


2016 ◽  
pp. 20-22
Author(s):  
Henry Fram Akplu

Private participation in higher education has contributed to the transformation and internationalization of higher education in Sub-Saharan African countries over the past two decades.  The country-specific (Ghana) experience described in this article illustrates the push factors, policy responses, transformations, and ways in which deregulation has contributed to internalization of higher education. 


2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina Byrom

Whilst there has been growing attention paid to the imbalance of Higher Education (HE) applications according to social class, insufficient attention has been paid to the successful minority of working-class young people who do secure places in some of the UK’s leading HE institutions. In particular, the influence and nature of pre-university interventions on such students’ choice of institution has been under-explored. Data from an ESRC-funded PhD study of 16 young people who participated in a Sutton Trust Summer School are used to illustrate how the effects of a school-based institutional habitus and directed intervention programmes can be instrumental in guiding student choices and decisions relating to participation in Higher Education.


2017 ◽  
pp. 19-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wondwosen Tamrat ◽  
Daniel Levy

Ethiopia’s private higher education (PHE) sector is the largest or second largest in sub-Saharan Africa, however a mix of enabling and restrictive policies have let PHE play a limited role in key respects. This article surveys the current landscape and asks important questions regarding the future of PHE.


Author(s):  
David E. Bloom ◽  
David Canning ◽  
Kevin Chan ◽  
Dara Lee Luca

Enrollment rates for higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa are by far the lowest in the world at 6%. Yet because of conventional beliefs that tertiary education is less important for poverty reduction, the international development community has encouraged African governments’ relative neglect of higher education. This article challenges beliefs that tertiary education has little role in promoting economic growth and alleviating poverty. First, we review recent evidence that higher education can produce significant public and private benefits. Next, we analyze the relationship between tertiary education and economic growth. We find evidence that tertiary education improves technological catch-up and, in doing so, may help to maximize Africa’s potential to achieve more rapid economic growth given current constraints. Investing in tertiary education in Africa may accelerate technological diffusion, which would in turn decrease knowledge gaps and help reduce poverty in the region. We also review new developments and trends in the higher education scene in Africa. Le taux d’inscription dans l’enseignement supérieur en Afrique sub-saharienne est de loin le plus faible du monde, atteignant seulement 6%. Pourtant, parce que l’enseignement supérieur est perçu comme moins important que les enseignements primaire et secondaire pour lutter contre la pauvreté, la communauté internationale a encouragé les gouvernements africains à moins y prêter attention. Cet article conteste l’idée que l’enseignement supérieur joue un rôle peu important dans le développement économique et la lutte contre la pauvreté. Tout d’abord, nous nous intéressons à de récents résultats qui montrent que l’enseignement supérieur crée des bénéfices publics et privés. Ensuite, nous analysons la relation entre l’enseignement supérieur et la croissance économique. Nous montrons que l’enseignement supérieur permet de rattraper le retard technologique et, ce faisant, pourrait aider l’Afrique à maximiser sa capacité à accélérer sa croissance économique dans les conditions actuelles. Investir dans l’enseignement supérieur en Afrique pourrait permettre une diffusion plus rapide des avancées technologiques, qui pourrait à son tour réduire la disparité de savoir et participer à la réduction de la pauvreté dans la région. Nous passons aussi en revue les nouveautés et tendances dans l’enseignement supérieur africain.


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