African universities and the state: Prospects for reform in Senegal and Uganda

Abstract

Abstract. Uganda's Makerere University and the University of Dakar in Senegal were for many years after independence among Africa's premier universities. Today, their facilities have visibly deteriorated and the quality of instruction the institutions provide is seriously threatened -the consequence of political and economic turmoil combined with persistent underfunding. If higher education remains supply-driven without reference to available resources, the problems of Makerere and the University of Dakar can only increase and become even more unmanageable. The governments of Senegal and Uganda are being encouraged by donors to undertake reforms to revitalize the university sector. However, it will not be possible to reform financing of public higher education, or to carry out many other reforms, unless the universities have more administrative and financial autonomy. Strategies for reforming higher education systems in these countries are proposed requiring a shift from government participation in the governance of public universities and in matters affecting their enrolments and utilization of resources to more indirect forms of control. Nevertheless, the policy implications for Senegal and Uganda are very different. In Senegal, measures to increase autonomy must be articulated with a larger role for the state in regulating the flow of students to university, rationalizing the programs of different institutions and restricting students' eligibility for support. In Uganda, there is need for greater government co-ordination of public and private investments in higher education and significant devolution of control of public universities.

The current status of teaching staff innovation competence in Ugandan universities: perceptions of managers, teachers, and students

“…Consequently, the higher education sector's ability to meet the national development needs of most of African countries such as Uganda through research, innovation and knowledge production is jeopardised (Collins & Rhoads, 2008;Eisemon & Salmi, 1993;Kibwika, 2006). Concern for how learning takes place in higher learning institutes and how instruction and assessment affect the quality of learning is desirable, because students need to acquire knowledge and skills that can be transferable in the workplace (Mikre, 2010;Mulder, 2014;Wesselink, 2010).…”

The Dilemma of Graduate Unemployment within a Context of Poverty, Scarcity and Fragile Economy: Are there Lessons for the University?

“…Universities have been very useful in providing the human resources needed to serve in public and private sectors worldwide (Elliots et al, 1996;Eisemon & Salmi, 1993). Even though the first university established in Cameroon had the mandate to provide a labour force to serve the demands of the newly independent nationCameroon (Njeuma et al, 1999); yet, many decades after independence, participants' responses revealed that university education in Cameroon is still being overwhelmingly regarded as a gateway to employment.…”

“…Despite the timid and restricted start, several universities sprung up in Africa following independence and were faced with the mounting task of providing a labour force that would serve the Independent States (Eisemon & Salmi, 1993). Apart from having a mission to provide a labour force to serve the respective Independent States, newly established African universities were also charged to play a leading role in addressing the continent's outstanding problems of poverty, low production, hunger, unemployment, diseases and illiteracy (Mosha, 1986;Sawyerr, 2004).…”

Market Model of Financing Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Examples from Kenya

“…Furthermore, the universities were both directly and indirectly controlled by the state in matters of admission and internal governance (Eisemon and Salmi, 1993). For example, the university chancellor was the head of the state, the vice-chancellors were direct appointees of the head of the state and the University Council and Board of Trustees were composed of senior civil servants and those close to the head of the state.…”