The Role of the Public-Private Partnerships in Widening Access to Tertiary Education in Rwanda: Evidences and Challenges

Abstract

Rwanda has made tremendous achievements in improving access of both males and females all levels of education. To this end, reforms and equity measures have been undertaken to promote gender equality within the Rwandan education system. However, while the proportion of female students is quite good at lower levels of education, it shrinks at higher educational ladder. In this perspective, enrollment, participation, completion and achievement rates of girls are still lower at secondary and tertiary levels compared to boys. Another discrepancy is observed in the fields of studies and university of choice. In fact, girls are more likely to enroll in courses related to social studies mostly available in private institutions rather than enrolling in science related courses available in public universities. Furthermore, females are under-represented in both academic and administration positions at secondary and tertiary levels of education. Therefore, the key objectives of this paper were to highlight the progress made towards achievement of gender equality, to identify the factors that contributed to that achievement, and finally to explore what remains a stumbling to full realization of gender parity in Rwandan education system. This paper was mainly a desktop research that used different official documents including statistics yearbooks, reports, and strategic plans among others. The study revealed that the number of girls outnumbered that of boys at lower levels of education, elimination of school fees, reforming curricula and establishing gender sensitive infrastructure contributed to this progress. Poverty and some traditional socio-cultural beliefs are key challenges to gender parity. Government and other stakeholders were recommended to sensitize and encourage girls to enroll in TVT and universities, and provide more gender sensitive infrastructure and amenities.

How Far Is Progress? Gender Dimensions of Student Enrollment in Higher Education in Ghana: The Case of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

“…The presence of female teachers/role models contribute significantly to the removal of socio-cultural blockades to female participation in education, as they serve as immediate points of reference and inspiration for young girls (Carrell et al, 2010; Porter & Serra, 2020). As earlier intimated, women’s underrepresentation in teaching staff in higher education can result in low levels of enrollment for females, due to a lack of role models to motivate them (Ntawiha et al, 2018). The same challenge has been identified recently in the KNUST in the enrollment of females in STEM programs (Appiah-Castel et al, 2020).…”

“…Females outstripped their male counterparts only in academic dismissal. In Rwanda, studies show that despite the conscientious efforts of the government to promote gender equality across the entire society, including the educational sector, female enrollment continues to be significantly lower at the secondary and tertiary levels (Ntawiha et al, 2018). Similar accounts of gender disparity in favor of males in higher education have been reported in the past for Ghana (Atuahene & Owusu-Ansah, 2013) and Zimbabwe (Chauraya, 2014).…”

“…Also important to the present discussion, and as earlier intimated, is the underrepresentation of females at the faculty and senior management levels within the university system. Ntawiha et al (2018) found that in Rwanda, women's underrepresentation in the teaching staff at higher levels of education had resulted in low levels of enrollment for females in some programs. The scholars attribute the phenomenon to a lack of motivation on the part of the female students, due to the limited number of female faculty role models who could inspire them to similar heights.…”

“…The scholars attribute the phenomenon to a lack of motivation on the part of the female students, due to the limited number of female faculty role models who could inspire them to similar heights. Furthermore, gender-based violence coupled with rampant early and unwanted pregnancies at the primary and secondary levels have also been found to hinder females’ progression into higher learning institutions (Morley, 2005; Ntawiha et al, 2018). Darvas et al (2017) also assert that within SSA, the level of education of parents is a significant predictor of the educational outcomes of their wards.…”