The document discusses funding strategies for higher education in Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. It notes that while enrollment has increased, access and equity remain low. Government funding faces challenges from declining budgets and massification. Cost sharing is practiced mainly at private institutions but may not focus on development. Recommendations include increasing government investment, strategic partnerships, entrepreneurial projects, and applied research.

1. Widening Student Participation –
Does the Funding Approach Matter?
A Case for Botswana, Zambia,
Malawi and Zimbabwe
Handsen Tibugari
handsentibugari@gmail.com
IAU 14th General Conference, 11/30/2012

2. INTRODUCTION
& the agenda

3. INTRODUCTION
Although:
• findings of MDG Report 2012 on Africa indicate
economic growth & strides in poverty reduction
have positive impact on MDG progress
& the agenda

4. • including achieving targets of: universal primary
education and; gender parity at all levels of
education
& the agenda

5. • And though enrolments increased 20-fold from
0.2 million in 1970 to 4.5 million in 2008
(SARUA, 2012)
• HE in southern Africa faces serious challenges
• Access and equity to HE in SADCC are
unacceptably low (SARUA, 2008)
& the agenda

6. • Changes in financing HE worldwide in the last
decades of 20th & 1st decade of 21st centuries
(Johnstone & Marcucci, 2007)
• HE costs rising higher than available revenues
• Funding strategies must consider that
instructional costs of disadvantaged students
may be higher (OECD, 2012)
& the agenda

7. HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Copper Rice, Fisheries
Diamond deposits -25%
Diamonds
agenda

8. • Independence, HE in Africa - a priority
development strategy (Sayed et al., 2008)
• Provided high-level manpower – research,
social & economic development
• Funding from former colonizing powers
• Fruitful links with universities in the north
(Mohamedbhai, 2008)
• Economic & political crises - neglect
& the agenda

9. • Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe - formerly ruled as
a Federation
• Salisbury (Harare) capital city
• Resources, including educational channelled to
Zimbabwe
& the agenda

10. FUNDING STRATEGIES
& the agenda

11. Government Funding & Support
• Predominantly funded by governments
• Zimbabwe - 95%
• Ultimate goal - protecting students – institutions
may be less responsive (Mahoney, 2006)
& the agenda

12. Challenges
• Dwindling budgets in support of HE
• Funding not sufficient to cater for effects of
massification (Mohamedbhai, 2008)
• e.g.. high student to computer ratios
• Overwhelmed Internet bandwidths – slow
connectivity
• Poor staff remuneration – staff exodus
• Inexperienced lecturers – quality of graduates?
& the agenda

13. Research Funding
• Global research indicators - sub Saharan Africa
poor research output (Mohamedbhai, 2011)
• Lowest scholarly scientific publications
• Least investment in R & D
• R & D dominated by external support –
development partners
& the agenda

14. Challenges
• Requires active partners
• At times there may be no willing external
partners
• Strained relations with the donor community
can scare funders
& the agenda

15. Cost Sharing
• Practised mainly by private institutions
• Do not receive government subventions
• At times run as business enterprises
& the agenda

16. Challenges
• May not focus importance of HE in the context
of sustainable development (wa Kariuki, 2009)
• Sometimes not responsive to (potential)
students from poor family backgrounds
• Student drop-out and repeat rates can be high
• Low graduation rates
& the agenda

17. Recommendations
• Governments invest to make universities self-
sufficient
• Strategic alliances; networks
– development partners
– other HE institutions
• Entrepreneurship – income generating projects
e.g. Zambia – University Teaching Hospital
& the agenda

18. Innovation
• Engage in research that is relevant to business,
industry
• Scientific & technological breakthroughs
18

19. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

20. Muchas Gracias