Education In African Universities Research Articles

Gender and higher education in African universities: A critical discourse analysis of key policy mandates in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda

In this comparative project, we analyze three policy documents that have guided gender-based higher education initiatives in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Two research questions guided our work: (1) How do key policy documents conceptualize gender equity? and (2) How is gender equity discussed in relation to economic priorities and sociopolitical realities in each country? To address these questions, we conducted a critical discourse analysis of the following: Kenya’s Education and Training Gender Policy in Kenya, Rwanda’s Education Sector Strategic Plan 2018/19–-–022/23, and Uganda’s Gender in Education Policy. Corroborating the work of other scholars, we found that all three documents shared (1) an increased commitment to gender equality, (2) persistent underrepresentation of women in higher education despite increased participation of women over time, and (3) markedly low gender parity in STEM disciplines. Our findings are significant because they confirm that there is a disconnect between stated policy goals and actual student outcomes, which limits institutional success and economic development. Additionally, our analysis highlights differences in the strength in commitment to gender equity in policy mandates in these three countries. This is a key issue which warrants further research attention.

The Writings: Job–Sirach

The WritingsJob–Sirach Christopher T. Begg, Fred W. Guyette, and J. Edward Owens 633. [Revelatory Hermeneutics in Wisdom Literature] Mark J. Boda, "Knowledge from Above: Revelatory Hermeneutics within Wisdom Literature," The Spirit Says, 131-47 [see #910]. My study has raised a serious question about the characterization of wisdom by those studying this tradition in the OT. Typically, the core wisdom tradition is identified with the Book of Proverbs and its countless traditional sayings beginning with chap. 10. The Books of Job and Ecclesiastes are then classified as "revolts" against this core wisdom tradition, which call into question the tradition itself or the interpretation of human experience that created it. In the above approach, wisdom is gained by learning the tradition and experiencing activities that require a long life and thus gives preference to the elderly. The court stories of Joseph and Solomon, not to mention that of Daniel, however, stand in stark contrast to this view of wisdom. They depict young people who are given wisdom by God with little or no mention of their acquisition of past tradition. Rather, revelatory experiences are key to these figures' acquisition of wisdom. While such observations might lead us to identify the court stories as further "revolts" against the core wisdom tradition, the fact that so much of the wisdom material must be identified as "revolt" raises serious questions about the legitimacy of what is taken to be the core of the OT wisdom tradition. Indeed, close attention to the Book of Proverbs here has highlighted the way in which even what is deemed "traditional wisdom" is framed by references to revelatory resources for the acquisition of wisdom. [Adapted from author's conclusion, p. 147—C.T.B.] [End Page 215] 634. [Transformation in the Wisdom Books of the HB and its application to the context of Southern Africa] S. Fischer, "Transformation in the Wisdom Books of the Hebrew Bible and its application to the context of Southern Africa," AcTSup 32 (2021) 232-57. My article deals with the transformation of theology and society through biblical wisdom. Its first section explores the various spheres of wisdom and the significance of King Solomon for the biblical wisdom tradition. The second section shows how the Books of Job and Proverbs transformed other parts of the HB. My third part looks at how Southern African theology and society might be transformed by these two books. Specifically, I view the figure of Job as a paradigm for HIV-positive people. I discuss the Book of Proverbs on the basis of the ubuntu principle and the post-colonial approach of imbokodo. I further show that African folk songs can be relevant for the transformation of Southern African university education and how biblical proverbs might transform African folk proverbs. In conclusion, I propose that secular society should function in such a way as to enable a variety of religious traditions. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 635. [Sophia as an anima figure? A Jungian reading of OT texts] Christophe Gripon, "Sophia, figure d'anima? Proposition d'une lecture jungienne de quelques textes de l'Ancien Testament," LavTP 76 (3, 2020) 421-43. I propose an interpretation of biblical personified Wisdom as a anima-figure, i.e., the unconscious feminine part of humans basing myself on C. G. Jung's model of the psyche, while also critiquing Jung's "sophiotology" as he develops this in his Answer to Job. Such a psychological approach to Wisdom can contribute to the discussion concerning its elusive character and the relationship between transcendent and immanent wisdom. [Translated and adapted from author's abstract—C.T.B.] 636. [The Family of Job in MT and LXX Job and the Testament of Job] Walter Bührer, "La famille de Job dans les différents livres de Job. Le texte hébreu, la Septante et le Testament de Job en comparison," TZ 77 (4, 2021) 290-337. My essay discusses the different functions of Job's children, his wife or wives, and Job's family of origin in relation to representations and interpretations of the figure of Job. Comparison of the three documents cited in my title leads...

COVID-19 pandemic and the narrative of the digital divide gap in universities in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT This theoretical paper endorses that Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a severe acute respiratory syndrome that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a world pandemic on the 8th of March 2020 has exposed a plethora of opportunities and inequalities in education. To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries of the world enforced some form of lockdown and restrictions, and that affected the culture of social institutions including the African university. The effects of lockdown and restrictions on human contact and movement resulted in the innovations in pedagogic and assessment practices that shifted from the traditional face-to-face approach to the digital online mode. While being guided by Bourdieu’s cultural capital theory, the study examines the narratives of the digital divide gap in African university education. The study also borrows from Lloyd Morrisett, an American experimental psychologist who contributed to the digital divide gap theory. The study acknowledges that learners, teachers, and administrators from poor universities and communities in Su-Saharan Africa (SSA) encountered challenges such as internet accessibility, infrastructure, power supply, technical knowledge, and training, and cost of data. The study certifies that there are a plethora of inequalities related to the digital divide gap that was ignored and still needs to be mitigated. The study recommends the need to upgrade the information and communication technologies (ICTs) and related infrastructure to the reach of many including the vulnerable and marginalized.

Reconceptualisation of Democratic Citizenship Education Against Social Inequalities and Electoral Violence in Zimbabwe

This article analyses the implications of a reconceptualised democratic citizenship education on universities in Africa with special emphasis on Zimbabwe. This is a qualitative research where data has been gathered through interviews and observation. Democratic citizenship education theory is used as a theory speaking to the argument. The arguments proffered in the research are that the concepts of DCE, education, and democracy that are rooted in liberal ideas of education have the potential to develop critical thinking necessary for political participation, justice, and political tolerance. The findings are that an African university education can teach students to become human with others, meaning students are taught to respect and value human dignity as dictated by Ubuntu.

Investigating the Quality of University Education: A Focus on Supply Chain Management

While the quality of higher education has received attention from researchers globally, its focus has been mainly on universities in ‘developed country’ contexts. There has been limited research on the quality of higher education in African universities, and even less that has focused on the discipline of supply chain management. In this paper, the quality of supply chain education of five universities in Kenya is investigated using a SERVPERF model. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 781 students enrolled for a supply chain management qualification. The data were analysed through confirmatory factor analysis and one-way analysis of variance. The findings are fourfold: (1) the service quality of supply chain education is at medium level in terms of the SERVPERF metrics; (2) four dimensions were identified by students as the most important aspects of service quality: course-centeredness, academic and support staff helpfulness, service excellence and learning facilities; (3) a four-factor SERVPERF model of supply chain service quality is developed and (4) service quality was significantly different across the selected universities. Although the service quality was rated at a medium level overall, the variability in quality across universities should alert educators and management to the need for a coordinated effort to improve particular aspects of students’ learning experiences. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by establishing that SERVPERF is a four-factor model in the higher education sector. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.8.23

Online Classes during COVID-19 Pandemic in Higher Learning Institutions in Africa

During COVID-19 period students usually had to go to a physical place for learning. Nonetheless, the outbreak of the COVID-19 has birthed an array of highly creative innovations that have cut across several industries but has exposed the lack of technology in these sectors including the already fragmented education sector of African countries which needs restructuring and transforming. Many public and private Universities have had to be reactive but face steep contextual challenges in the conventional methods of creating, delivering, and capturing value in the education sector. This paper aimed to investigate online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic in different universities in Africa with a focus on five universities. The study adopted the Constructivist Theory. The research was guided by three main objectives including (1) To explore the effectiveness of online education in African Universities; (2) To assess the challenges facing online classes during COVID-19 in African universities; and (3) To determine possible strategies to curb challenges facing online education in higher learning institutions during COVID-19 and post-pandemic in Africa. The study employed a qualitative and quantitative method in data collection. The targeted population is lecture students from five Universities in African countries including Tanzania. The result of the study indicated that students learned more in less time and liked their classes more when ICT-based instruction was included. Notwithstanding, the majority of the participants demonstrated that learners in higher institutions in Africa have trouble accessing the E-learning technology system.

Designing the South African Higher Education System for Student Success

South Africa’s higher education system is falling far short of producing the mix of competent graduates required to meet the country’s need for social and economic development. The problem of poor patterns of student success is longstanding, and is persisting despite the policy changes and many educationally sound interventions that have taken place in recent decades. This points to entrenched underlying obstacles, including but going beyond the legacy of apartheid, and indicates that they will not yield to supplementary or ad hoc improvement initiatives, however well-conceived individually. This paper is thus based on the proposition that there is a pressing need to design the South African university education system to focus unequivocally on student success and equity of outcomes. This implies, intentionally, that the current system is not designed around any clear commitment to student success. Correcting this must involve a re-prioritisation of goals in the higher education sector, aimed at ensuring that student success is accepted as the end goal of the educational mission of higher education. The paper argues that, if this is to be achieved, what is required is a sophisticated, realistic, coherent and comprehensive strategy for positive change. Given the nature of the higher education system, such a strategy must involve not only a clear vision of the scope of the changes and interventions needed to make a real difference to the performance patterns – in terms of equity as well as overall outcomes – but also an in-depth understanding of the responsibilities that must be taken by the key stakeholders and the underlying obstacles that must be addressed. The paper offers an outline of the major points of the argument, including the importance of applying design principles to any comprehensive response to the need to place student success at the heart of the higher education agenda.

Complexities influencing low output rates of black South African professors

This paper investigates and discusses the complexities influencing low rates of black professors in South African universities. Emerging consensus in higher education debate is that the South African education system is characterised by low output rates of black South African professors. This paper uses literature review, document review and key informant interviews (KIIs) to investigate its case. Findings emanating from this paper were that indeed the South African university education has low output rates of black South African professors. The low output rates were informed by a plethora of multiple and intertwined factors. To correct the situation, first and foremost, the South African university education system should increase black post-graduate studentship in universities. Secondly, universities should increase the graduate output at doctoral level. Thirdly, a comprehensive academic growth path for doctoral graduates to be assisted towards professorship should be designed and enforced as a matter of policy for universities to adopt and implement. This instrument should be vigorously monitored and institutions should timeously report progress to an independent progress monitoring body.

Rethinking progression of (black) South African doctoral graduates to professorship

It remains empirically inconclusive that fewer South African black doctoral graduates enter academia, and that fewer of those who enter progressed to professorship. This paper uses literature and document review, small-scale survey and key informant interviews (KIIs) to gather data. Twenty nine (n = 29) doctoral graduates were purposively sampled through snowballing to obtain primary data. This paper established that the majority of doctoral graduates would already be old at graduation, and already have had better paying formal employment away from academia and therefore never entered academia. Conditions and requirements for progression to professorship are difficult for the majority doctoral graduates. The South African university education has to be reformed and remodelled to reflect the Dutch and Turkish models in order to fast-track entry and completion of doctoral studies and progression to professorship.

Data networks and sustainability education in African universities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study report of the development of data networks and initial connectivity in the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region and how that development evolved into the formation of research and education (R & E) networks that enable new collaborations and curriculum potential. Design/methodology/approach – This case study is presented through the past 20 year’s operations and field activities of the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) at the University of Oregon, who in partnership with the National Science Foundation has worked together to significantly train network engineers in Africa on how to develop regional R & E networks that can link together the various research universities in SSA. Findings – The author shows how the development of these networks have fostered improved collaboration between African and US scientists, particularly around issues that relate to climate change. This paper contains testimonials from both scientists and on-the-ground key directors in Africa about the value of these improved networks. The expansion of regional R & E networks has allowed the Association of African Universities (AAU) to launch sustainable development as one of its new core programs over the period 2013-2017. Within this new core AAU program are four sub-themes: agriculture and food security, water resources management, climate change and energy. All of these themes will benefit directly from these new, network-enabled, data-sharing abilities. Practical implications – The current state of network-driven curriculum and curriculum exchange between African universities is assessed and compared that to that in the early days of academic network penetration (1990-2000) in the USA to find similar rates of evolution. Since 2015, SSA has sufficient network access and connectivity to now enable a wide variety of new collaborative research and collaborative academic programs. Originality/value – The experience and operational competence of the NSRC at the University of Oregon needs to be detailed and espoused. No other American university has had such an impact on Africa in terms of improving its overall network infrastructure enabling new kinds of collaborative research on real-world problems, such as climate change and resource depletion in Africa.

Challenges to the Study of Islamic Education in African Universities

This article examines the challenges to the study of Islamic education in African colleges and universities. I claim that such a study, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is not a priority even though Muslims accounted for 44 percent of the continent’s population in 2009 and 22 of its nations have a Muslim population of 50 percent or more. I present four main factors responsible for this phenomenon: European colonization; the relatively small number of Arabic speakers in most African nations; the negative implications of connecting Islamic fundamentalism/al-Qaeda to Arabs and Islam; and the humiliation, abuse, and severe punishment experienced by Black Africans in Arab-majority societies.

Challenges to the Study of Islamic Education in African Universities

This article examines the challenges to the study of Islamic education in African colleges and universities. I claim that such a study, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is not a priority even though Muslims accounted for 44 percent of the continent’s population in 2009 and 22 of its nations have a Muslim population of 50 percent or more. I present four main factors responsible for this phenomenon: European colonization; the relatively small number of Arabic speakers in most African nations; the negative implications of connecting Islamic fundamentalism/al-Qaeda to Arabs and Islam; and the humiliation, abuse, and severe punishment experienced by Black Africans in Arab-majority societies.

Space Contestations and the Teaching of African Philosophy in African Universities

The central issue addressed in this paper is the demand for improvements in the space granted to African philosophy in African universities. I offer and elaborate on the most basic reasons for this demand, which includes amongst others: 1) the obsoleteness of the reasons given for the current trend of focusing on Western philosophy 2) the fact that very few teachers of philosophy in Africa are focused mainly or only on Western philosophy in their academic productivity and 3) the disparity between the premises and the conclusion of the arguments in favour of the current pride of place accorded to Western philosophy. These, and some other reasons of practical and strategic nature, make the maintenance of the current status quo of philosophy education in African universities either hypocritical or unjustified in their unwillingness to face the challenge that the evidence on the ground points to.

Contextualizing ICT in Africa: The Development of the CATI model in Tanzanian Higher Education

In many parts of Africa the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in higher education institutions offers a particularly interesting research problem. This is because of the far-reaching consequences that information and communication technology (ICT) services and education have on the university graduates during their careers in African societies. Our extensive and well-documented experience of utilizing ICTs in a Tanzanian private university has lead us to propose a four-level approach, called CATI model, that can be used as the basis for implementing new ICTs, for evaluating how ICT is used, and for planning ICT education in developing countries. We conceptually categorize the four levels that we use in our model – contextualize, apply, transfer and import – as an ethnocomputing approach. This four-level model enable educators to use ICT services and ICT education in African universities in a way that will prepare university graduates to make a positive contribution to their own societies. The success of this model is attributable to the emphasis that we placed on local needs and creativity and on applications of ICTs that were sensitive to local culture, conditions and understanding.

Life on the Hill: Students and the Social History of Makerere

AbstractHow will history judge British late-colonial efforts to export its model of higher education to Africa? In this article I challenge any simple interpretation of the ‘Asquith Commission’ university colleges – such as Makerere or University College Ibadan – as alien impositions or colonial intellectual ‘hothouses’. Focusing on Makerere University in Uganda, and drawing on a variety of archival and personal sources, I show how its students and faculty engaged in an ambivalent recreation and subversion of the Western idea of the university and its foundational discourses. I suggest that the institution offered a space to question and debate the purpose of an African university education. Students and staff made use of their limited political autonomy to challenge and rework the colonial hierarchies of race and culture. As a result, Makerere remained an influential forum for intellectual debate, cultural expression and social critique until the mid-1970s. Whilst this legacy is made less visible by the subsequent years of political crisis, underfunding and expansion in student numbers, it remains an important historical legacy from which to rethink the future of African universities.

Life on the Hill: Students and the Social History of Makerere

How will history judge British late-colonial efforts to export its model of higher education to Africa? In this article I challenge any simple interpretation of the ‘Asquith Commission’ university colleges – such as Makerere or University College Ibadan – as alien impositions or colonial intellectual ‘hothouses’. Focusing on Makerere University in Uganda, and drawing on a variety of archival and personal sources, I show how its students and faculty engaged in an ambivalent recreation and subversion of the Western idea of the university and its foundational discourses. I suggest that the institution offered a space to question and debate the purpose of an African university education. Students and staff made use of their limited political autonomy to challenge and rework the colonial hierarchies of race and culture. As a result, Makerere remained an influential forum for intellectual debate, cultural expression and social critique until the mid-1970s. Whilst this legacy is made less visible by the subsequent years of political crisis, underfunding and expansion in student numbers, it remains an important historical legacy from which to rethink the future of African universities.

Engineering Education in African Universities: A Case for Internationalization

Engineering education is getting global. This article assesses the present scenario in engineering education, which is undergoing a paradigm shift because of the Internet, innovation, and internationalization. The influence of information technology, industrial development, national politics, and economic policies on internationalization of engineering education has been discussed. Quality control and accreditation practices in some countries have been reviewed, and a link between technology advancement and engineering curricula has been drawn. A stable political and economic system is necessary to retain the highly qualified African engineers who are the drivers of the engineering education toward achieving this goal.

Crisis in African University Education - A Synopsis

Crisis in African University Education - A Synopsis