Education for Economic Competitiveness in Africa: Whither Higher Education?

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Education for Economic Competitiveness in Africa
Whither Higher Education?

• A presentation to Students and Staff
• Ohio State University
• Peter N. Materu, World Bank
• November 15th, 2007

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Outline of Presentation
Education is the most powerful weapon which you
can use to change the world. - Nelson Mandela

• The Context
• Overview of education in Africa
• Education for competitiveness the MDG-plus
  agenda
• Higher Education in Africa
• World Bank Activities in HE
• Going Forward Challenges Opportunities

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The Context

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Large but Highly Fragmented Region
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Sub-Saharan Africa

• 54 countries (E29, F20, P5)
• Population 657 m. (28 persons/sq. km)
• Per capita income USD 100 2,800
• Life expectancy 46 years
• Population growth rate 2.3
• HIV/AIDS infection 5 - 30
• Primary enrollment 76
• Secondary enrollment 26
• Tertiary enrollment 4

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Sub-Saharan Africa lags far behind in growth of
income per capita
Source WDI, 2004
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and in per capita income
Source WDI, 2004
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Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

• A Brief Overview

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Education for competitivenessAfrica needs the
MDG-plus agenda .

• Basic education is important
• No country has achieved sustained economic
  growth without...mass basic education.
  (Easterlin 1981)
• Learning outcomes matter a lot for growth
  (Hanushek Woessman 2007)
• but insufficient to be competitive today
• Higher level, relevant skills are essential
  to....
• Catch up to global knowledge and technology
  frontier
• Increase productivity and break into new markets
• Evaluate and capture economic opportunities
• Generate new knowledge
• Enhance employment prospects

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In primary education improving coverage...
but most of Africa still off track

• Primary education completion rates 61 in 2005,
  up from 51 in 2000
• Gender parity in primary and secondary 86 in
  2005, up from 85 in 2000

Share of countries on track to achieve the
primary education MDG ()
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Secondary and higher education also improving
but too slowly to close gaps
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Africas slow progress impedes transition in
working-age populations educational profile ..
Korea Rapid increase in proportion with
secondary and tertiary education
Ghana Distribution in 2000 still resembled
Koreas in 1960
Top block tertiary Middle block secondary
Bottom block primary or no schooling
Note Working population refer to the population
aged 15 and over Source World Bank 2006.
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Lags in learning outcomes .. further reduces
Africas competitiveness
contrast with very low scores in Africa
High and rising test scores in Asia.
Score
550
500
450
1980s 1990s 2000s
Note scores on international tests in 2003
Note average score is around 500 on the
international tests. Source Hanushek Woessman
2007 National Center for Education Statistics
(2004)
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Raising the bar for competitiveness requires a
sector-wide vision to

• Meet the Education MDG and
• Close the Skills Gap for Growth and
  Competitiveness
• Expand secondary and tertiary enrollments
• Increase quality and relevance of skills
• Leverage private sector as partner
• hence the MDG-plus agenda
• See Online MDG Atlas -http//devdata.worldbank.or
  g/atlas-mdg/

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In post-basic education, TVET and STI challenges
are different .

• Strong demand but weak systems as seen in
• Severe overcrowding e.g., student-faculty ratios
  more than doubled during 1990-2002 in West
  African universities
• Inefficiencies ..e.g. low graduation rate in some
  Francophone countries universities
• Outdated curricula and equipmentnot matched to
  needs of economy
• Aging faculty high staff vacancies ..e.g.,
  average age of professors in DRC 31 vacancy rate
  in 2003 survey of science dept in 20 African
  universities
• Limited institutional autonomy and accountability
  ,,, and few links to industry
• Undeveloped sub-sector policies and strategies
  vis-a-vis
• Sustainable path for expansion of post-basic
  education and research
• Engagement with and responsiveness to private
  sector as partner

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Promising Signals.

• Countries keen to address problems but unsure how
  to proceed
• More countries looking for knowledge and
  financial support for tertiary education
• Increasing number of ready-to-fly countries (with
  sustained growth rates over 5 per year)
• Countries beginning to pay increased attention to
  quality
• Emerging Global Consensus on the importance of
  Tertiary Education to Economic Development

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Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

• A Brief Overview

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African Higher Education Today

• Total universities 334 (127 private)
• Tertiary enrollment ratio 4
• highest average annual increase in tertiary
  school age population 3.2 compared to world
  average of 1.4 percent.
• Share of education budget 9 35
• Expenditure per student 500 - 1500 (excluding
  South Africa)
• Percent female 38
• Students in Science Technology 36
• Contribution to world knowledge 0.3

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Principal University Systems (2004)

• Nigeria 73 universities 1,290,000.
• South Africa 21 universities 720,000.
• Sudan 26 universities 220,000.
• Ethiopia 8 universities 177,000
• Kenya 19 universities 121,000.
• Cameroon 7 universities 86,000.

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Distribution of African University Graduates by
Field of Study
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Researchers per million persons 96 02

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Research Outputs by Geographical Region
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Issues and Challenges

• Access
• Quality
• Staffing
• Relevance
• Management
• Financing
• ICT/Connectivity
• Brain Drain

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Promising Developments

• Open and distance learning Connectivity, Cost?
• Private provision Regulation, Disciplines,
  Equity
• Diversification Community oriented universities
  e.g. KIST in Rwanda
• Regional collaboration, e.g. AIST
• Diaspora Networks

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The World Bank and Higher Education in Africa

• Strategy, Activities and Partnerships

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Higher education as a driver of growth

• Skills development
• For productivity
• For competitiveness
• Access to knowledge / information
• Application problem-solving
• Remaining relevant
• Adapting to change
• Generating new knowledge research

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Conceptual Framework
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World Bank Higher Education Activities

• Higher education Projects
• Mauritania
• Mozambique
• Nigeria
• Projects with HE comp
• Burkina Faso
• Cameroon
• Ethiopia
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Lesotho
• Tanzania FY08
• DRC FY07
• Kenya FY07
• Namibia FY07
• Projects in Science Technology
• Uganda Millennium Science Initiative

• ESW and Regional
• Ethiopia, 2003
• Uganda S T, 2004
• HE Economic development 05
• Univ staff retention, 2005
• SADC policy dialogue, 05/06
• Francophone HE conf, 2006
• Nigeria S T, 2006
• HE Cost and Financing in Francophone Afr. 2006
• Innovation Funds for HE 06
• Quality Assurance, 07
• Tertiary agric education, 07
• Tertiary education growth 07
• ICT and Education in Africa, 07
• Trade in Higher Education, 07
• TA for STI Action Plans in Mozambique, Rwanda,
  and Uganda
• Health Education, 08

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Types of Activities Financed

• Strategy development
• Innovation funds
• Curriculum reforms
• Staff development
• Library and information access

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Future Bank Activities in Africa

• Africa Action Plan
• Emphasis shifts towards growth.
• Higher education boosts productivity
• Science technology capacities
• Research capacities
• 8 new projects in next two years.

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Going Forward

• Emerging Consensus
• and
• Areas of Focus

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Going Forward What are the Options?
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Emerging Global Consensus

• Commission for Africa Report 2005
• NEPAD HD Strategy
• African Union 2nd Decade for Education
• AfDB HEST Strategy
• World Bank Studies AAP

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Improving Performance Managing Tensions

• Need for Tertiary Education vs Urgency at lower
  levels
• Expanding Access versus improving quality
• International Cost Structures vs Local
  Affordability
• Private Financing versus Equity in access
• Political Accountability vs Institutional
  Accountability
• The Classical Model vs Differentiated System
• The need to modernize vs meeting basic challenges

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Options for Consideration

• Strategy for national HR Development
• Institutional Strategic Planning
• Dont be copy-cat Differentiation
  Articulation
• Strengthen accountability but respect autonomy
• Introduce quality assurance mechanisms
• Increase Relevance to the Labor market
  curricula, pedagogy, prioritize disciplines and
  give incentives
• Strengthen Postgraduate Programs
• Strengthen institutional managers Select on
  merit
• Innovative Financing Strategies Innovation
  Funds, Student Loan Schemes, Performance-based
  financing, Improve efficiency
• Public-Private Partnerships Governments, Private
  Sector International Development Partners
• Strategic Partnerships and Regional
  Collaboration research networks, institutional
  partnerships, Diaspora networks
• Tap ICTs Potential NRENs

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Thank you!More Information www.worldbank.org/afr
/teia