Widening equity and retaining efficiency: Considerations from the IBSA southern coalface

Integrated Schooling, Life Course Outcomes, and Social Cohesion in Multiethnic Democratic Societies

“…The second is that conflicts in many states as well as a desire for opportunities denied in their native countries have triggered an increase of immigrants and refugee families. And third, multiethnic, democratic societies are signatories of many international protocols that impel states to comply with commitments to public policies and practices that advance and sustain social inclusion and human rights (Akoojee & Nkomo, 2011; Bessis, 1995; OECD, 2008; United Nations, 1948). For most states, this involves public education.…”

“…The OECD’s Thematic Review of Tertiary Education (2008) states that “a general equity objective in tertiary education is to achieve a student population that closely reflects the composition of society as a whole” (p. 74). Similarly, in the 2003 Brasilia Declaration, India, Brazil, and South Africa committed themselves to develop policy frameworks to achieve greater social equity through an increase in the enrollment of targeted groups that were historically excluded from institutions of higher learning (Akoojee & Nkomo, 2011). As can be seen from the above account, there is an extensive record of philosophical, historical, and contemporary research-based agreement about the logic and relevance of diverse education in promoting social cohesion in societies.…”

Colonial legacies in internationalisation of higher education: racial justice and geopolitical redress in South Africa and Brazil

“…South Africa and Brazil offer compelling cases for comparison because they share important characteristics: in both countries, histories of colonial occupation (apartheid and Portuguese colonialism) have provided the grounds for what today are highly unequal higher education systems (Badat 2008;Schwartzman and Paiva 2014); both represent attractive study destinations for growing numbers of regional students (Kotecha 2012;Milani, Da Conceição, and M'Bunde 2016); both aspire to regional leadership roles (Flemes and Wojczewski 2010), and both countries have made efforts to improve access to higher education for historically excluded student populations (Akoojee and Nkomo 2011). Moreover, public universities in both countries must strike a balance between the imperative of global competition (e.g.…”

Equity and Education

“…The interventions in these countries to end the inequalities have been to enhance schooling opportunities, which include more liberal admissions criteria, and a financial aid scheme financed by universities and the governments or a loan system to enter both public and private institutions (Akoojee and Nkomo, 2011;Featherman et al, 2010;Motala, 2001). There have been concerted attempts to produce a skilled and professional work force.…”

“…However, state education is not always of same quality as in private institutions therefore there has been a call for meaningful education for all (Akoojee and Nkomo, 2011). This means that those who cannot afford the fees in private institution receive a lowquality education.…”