Quality provisioning and accountability in African higher

Abstract

Excellence in educational quality provisioning and accountability is an obligatory function for higher education. Currently certain scholars allege that poor provisioning and lack of accountability are rife in most higher education institutions. They cite varied reasons for the failures. Of note, African higher education institutions are also subject to these shortcomings. As is the case with most higher education institutions worldwide, governments and communities require African higher education institutions to comply with globally acceptable standards for quality provisioning and accountability if they wish to compete in the global arena. However, this ‘global measuring yardstick' should consider the contextual dynamics of African higher education landscapes when deliberating on issues of quality. In this article, I endeavour to provide a critical analysis of the provisioning-accountability approach, as a foundation and pillar for the enhancement of excellence in African higher education with due consideration to contextual issues. It is hoped that this exploratory inquiry based on a literature study will provide useful insights for higher education management and their partners needed to engage in globalised yet locally grounded standards and sustained educational quality practices. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 21 (4) 2007: pp. 694-705