The growth of higher education in Africa has been driven by factors such as burgeoning demand that could not be met by the public sector and policy influences as structural adjustment programs that promoted privatization.
As some documents revealed, Africa has reached a level where access to higher education in its various guises would not be possible without the active involvement of private institutions. This is mainly due to the increasingly significant roles these institutions are playing in the continental provision of higher education.
Accordingly, quality higher education is considered as one of the major elements that guarantee sustainable economic and social development at the continental, national and regional levels of a given economy. And African scholars need to discuss on the development of quality education across the continent.
Cognizant of this fact, St. Mary University in collaboration with Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MoSHE) and other stakeholders has recently organized a three days conference under the theme “Higher Education in the realm of sustainable development in Africa”.
“Internationalization of higher education is vital for producing quality generation through building a democratic society and tackling poverty, migration and global climate change at large,” says Professor Hirut Woldemariam, Minister of Science and Higher Education.
On the opening session of “the 17th International Conference on Private Higher Education in Africa” here in Addis, she avowed that the ministry has given priority to the expansion of quality higher education. Hence, it has laid down the framework for sustainability, internationalization and development of research capacity for knowledge creation and technology transfer in the education sector, she added.
According to her, the ministry has been introducing fundamental reforms on higher education quality and relevance because the expansion of higher education enrolment is increasing in Africa in general and in Ethiopia in particular. Also, MoSHE has recently come up with a platform to engage with Ethiopian scholars abroad, she noted.
And for the past three decades, Ethiopia is striving on the development of education which can lay the country to industrialization. As a result, there are about 45 public higher education institutions and about 200 private institutions of which four are fully-fledged Universities. But still, there is a limitation to achieve GTP II. And to cope up with the global education system, such conferences will help to build capacity and experience of higher education institutions.
Professor Etienne Ehile, Secretary-General for the Association of African Universities from Ghana on his part said that the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development from 2005-2014 encompassed a concept “Education for Sustainable Development” And it is helpful for encouraging behaviour change and empowering people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating and enjoying a sustainable future, he added.
According to him, the decade offered a strategic guide to the African Higher Education community to review its curricula, undertake development-relevant scientific research, forge partnerships and set practical examples towards ensuring social, economic, environmental and overall inter-generational equity within the concept of the then Millennium Development Goals and other African development agenda.
As to him, the association has contributed to the establishment of a culture of peace, tolerance and prosperity by researching the history of tensions, conflicts and frustrations. And it is also experienced by different social strata, training and the dissemination of research result should also include modules on leadership skill and conflict resolution in their curriculum and setting up of chairs in peace and conflict resolution apart from promoting affirmative action that rejects any discriminatory practices.
Associate Professor Wondwosen Tamrat, Founder and President of St. Mary University also disclosed that the conference can support higher education as a critical component of continental growth. He also said that the university has initiated this conference 17 years ago not to market the profile of a single institution, but to create a forum for a rigorous and robust dialogue for such entities in the newly emerging Ethiopian higher education sector which continues to be towered by a publicity dominated system.
He also added that Africa needs high effort on Private Higher education to bring dynamic political, social and economic change among the continent coupled with the public institutions. In Ethiopia situation, there are about 200 private higher education institutions currently. Hence, such conferences will help the stakeholders to share experience especially on producing quality generation.
Similarly, Prof. Damtew Teferra, Founding Director of International Network for Higher Education in Africa, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa said that it is the right time to discuss on PHE development for Africa. Indeed Ethiopia is vigorously striving to restructure its higher education sector with the anticipated mammoth and onerous task for government and institutions at different levels, the conference is special and important for the country, he noted.
According to him, Africa has generated considerable economic, political, cultural and strategic interest globally. Accordingly, the continent attracts numerous players in different fronts-including partnerships in higher education development. Through an interest in development cooperation is largely waning, some progressive trends are emerging in a few corners.
On the whole, Africa needs to improve its education system to compete with the entire world. Accordingly, all the stakeholders should share the experience through participating in such forums and conduct vital researches on the area, they agreed.
The Ethiopian Herald August 10, 2019
BY HIZKEL HAILU
