1 - Global Trends in Higher Education Reform: What Lessons for Nigeria?
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 4 No. 1 (2006): Journal of Higher Education in Africa
Abstract
The crisis that engulfed the higher education sector in many developing countries from the mid-1970s in many ways epitomised a much wider socio-economic and political crisis. In much of Africa the balance of payment crisis compounded an uneasy relationship between the rulers and academia. However, addressing the cri- sis in the 1980s was defined by the emergent neo-liberal mindset. It was also an ideological posture that saw the academy as a domain of a ‘leftist leisure class’ that needed market discipline. Education as a public good was replaced by a commodity logic. The impact of the neo-liberal orthodoxy on the higher education sector, how- ever, varied widely across counties. In countries whose education policy came un- der the direct control of the Bretton Woods institutions, the orthodoxy drove policy as close to its ideological posturing as possible. In many developing countries commodification of access has impacted harshly on research activities in the higher education sector, reversing earlier achievements at endogeneity. In some countries, including Nigeria, the persistent anti-intellectualism of those in power has intensi- fied the broader crisis. In this paper, I argue that this contrasts sharply with the domestic experience of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Develop- ment (OECD) countries in their higher education sectors and the public commit- ment to research and development. What lessons are there for higher education reform in Nigeria? Firstly, in spite of the neo-liberal claims, successful countries show strong commitment to education as a public good and tend to invest heavily in their higher education sector, especially in endogenous research and development. The second point is that experiments with the commodity approach in both its provisioning of skilled human resources and internal relations have proved to be counter-productive. Thirdly, in situations of prolonged decline and decay, what needs rebuilding is more than just the infrastructure but also the ethos and ethics of academia.
Keywords
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)BibTeX
- Adebowale, S., 2004, ‘The State of Scholarly Publishing in Nigeria: Report of a Mapping Exercise to Assess the State of Nigerian Scholarly Publishing.’ Ox- ford: Bellagio Publishing Network.
- Adesina, J.O., 1992, ‘Doing Workplace Study: Reflections on a Field Research’, in D. Otobo, ed., Further Readings in Nigerian Industrial Relations, Lagos: Malthouse Press.
- Adesina, J.O., 2006a, ‘When Is ‘Techno-talk’ a Fatal Distraction? ICT in Con- temporary Development Discourse on Africa’, Africa Development Vol. XXXI, No. 3, pp.120-53.
- Adesina, J.O., 2006b, ‘Sociology Beyond Despair: Recovery of Nerve, Endogeneity, and Epistemic Intervention.’ South African Review of Sociology, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 241-59.
- Adesina, J.O., 2007, ‘In Search of Inclusive Development: Introduction.’ In. J. Adesina (ed.) Social Policy in Sub-Saharan African Context: In Search of In- clusive Development. Basingstoke: Palgrave/Macmillan (pp.1-53), forthcom- ing.
- Adesogan, E.K., 1999, Illumination, Wisdom and Development Through Chemis- try: An inaugural lecture delivered at the University of Ibadan in 1987. Ibadan: University of Ibadan.
- Adesogan, E.K., 2005, Reminiscence of 45 Years at the University of Ibadan: A Bleak Future for University Education in Nigeria, if…. Valedictory Lecture (26 August 2005). Ibadan: University of Ibadan.
- Ajayi, J.F. Ade, and Tamuno, T.N., 1973, The University of Ibadan, 1948-73: A History of the First Twenty-five Years. Ibadan: University of Ibadan Press.
- Ajayi, J.F. Ade, Lameck, K.H., Goma, C., and Johnson, A., 1996, The African Ex- perience with Higher Education. London: James Currey.
- Assié-Lumumba, N’Dri T., 2005, ‘Critical Perspectives on the Crisis, Planned Change, and the Prospects for Transformation in African Higher Education.’ Journal of Higher Education in Africa, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp.1-29.
- Assié-Lumumba, N’Dri T., 2006, Higher Education in Africa: Crises, Reforms, and Transformation. Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Awe, O., 1974, Physics in Ibadan: Developing Physics in a Developing Country - an inaugural lecture delivered at the University of Ibadan on Friday, 7 Decem- ber 1973. Ibadan: University of Ibadan.
- Cavendish, R., 1982, Women on the Line, London: Routledge. Court D., 2000, ‘Financing Higher Education in Africa: Makerere, the Quiet Revo- lution in Education’, Perspectives in Education, Vol. 19, No. 3.
- Delucchi, M. and Pelowski, S., 2000, ‘Liking or Learning?: The Effect of Instructor Likeability and Student Perceptions of Learning on Overall Rating of Teaching Ability’, Radical Pedagogy, Vol. 2, No. 2, http://www.radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/ content/issue2 2e/delpel.html, 13 Nov. 2003.
- Egharevba, I., 2001, ‘Researching an “Other” Minority Ethnic Community: Reflec- tions of a Black Female Researcher on the Intersections of Race, Gender and Other Power Positions on the Research Process’, International Journal of So- cial Research Methodology, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 225 241.
- Eicher, J.C., 1984, Educational Costing and Financing in Developing Countries: Focus on Sub Saharan Africa, Washington DC: World Bank.
- Hendrix, K.G., 2002, ‘Did Being Black Introduce Bias into Your Study?: Attempt- ing to Mute the Race-related Research of Black Scholars’, The Howard Journal of Communications, Vol. 13, pp. 153-171.
- Ka e, E. and Macaulay, L.J., 1993, ‘Interviewer Gender and Gender Attitudes’, Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 57, No. 1.
- Kotecha, P., 2004, ‘A Bridge Too Far? Constructing Knowledge Societies: New Challenges for Tertiary Education’, Journal of Higher Education in Africa, Vol.2, No. 3, pp.115-122. Magagula, C.M., 2005, ‘The Benefits and Challenge of Cross-Border Higher Edu- cation in Developing Countries’, Journal of Higher Education in Africa, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp.29-49.
- Obong, Q.O., 2004, Academic Dilemmas Under Neo-Liberal Education Reforms: A Review of Makerere University, Uganda, in P.T. Zeleza and A. Olukoshi, eds., African Universities in the Twenty-First Century, Volume 2: Knowledge and Society, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Oyetade, S.O., 2000, ‘Issues in the Harmonisation and Standardisation of Yoruba in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin: Implications for Education and Eevelopment.’ In Kwesi K. Prah (ed.) Between Distinction and Extinction: The harmonisation and standardisation of African Languages. Cape Town: CASAS.
- Ramphele, M., 2002, ‘Foreword’. In World Bank, Constructing Knowledge Socie- ties. Washington DC: World Bank.
- Ramphele, M., 2004, ‘The University as an Actor in Development: New Perspec- tives and Demands’.
- Roberts, H., ed., 1981, Doing Feminist Research, London: Routledge.
- Rosovsky, H. and Hartley, M., 2002, Evaluation and the Academy: Are We Doing the Right Things? Grade Inflation and Letters of Recommendation, Cambridge, MA: American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Singh, M., 2001, ‘Re-Inserting the “Public Good” into Higher Education Transfor- mation’. Kagiso: Higher Education Discussion Series. Issue 1 (CHE, Pretoria).pp. 8-18.
- Soyinka, W., 1994, Ibadan: the Penkelemes Years: A Memoir 1946-1965. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
- Tilak, J.B.G., 2004, Are We Marching Towards Laissez-faireism in Higher Educa- tion Development?. Paper presented at the 12th General Conference of the In- ternational Association of Universities, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 25-29 July.
- Udegbe, Bola, 2007, ‘Social Policy and the Challenge of Development in Nigeria and Ghana: The Cases of Education and Labour Market.’ In Jimi Adesina (ed.) Social Policy in Sub-Saharan African Context. Basingstoke: Palgrave/ Macmillan.
- World Bank, 1986, Financing Education in Developing Countries: An Exploration of Polity Options, Washington DC: World Bank.
- World Bank, 1997, Revitalizing Universities in Africa: Strategy and Guidelines, Washington DC: World Bank.
- World Bank, 1998, Knowledge for Development: World Development Report, New York: Oxford University Press.
- World Bank, 2000, Higher Education in Developing Countries: Peril and Promise, Washington DC: World Bank.
References
Adebowale, S., 2004, ‘The State of Scholarly Publishing in Nigeria: Report of a Mapping Exercise to Assess the State of Nigerian Scholarly Publishing.’ Ox- ford: Bellagio Publishing Network.
Adesina, J.O., 1992, ‘Doing Workplace Study: Reflections on a Field Research’, in D. Otobo, ed., Further Readings in Nigerian Industrial Relations, Lagos: Malthouse Press.
Adesina, J.O., 2006a, ‘When Is ‘Techno-talk’ a Fatal Distraction? ICT in Con- temporary Development Discourse on Africa’, Africa Development Vol. XXXI, No. 3, pp.120-53.
Adesina, J.O., 2006b, ‘Sociology Beyond Despair: Recovery of Nerve, Endogeneity, and Epistemic Intervention.’ South African Review of Sociology, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 241-59.
Adesina, J.O., 2007, ‘In Search of Inclusive Development: Introduction.’ In. J. Adesina (ed.) Social Policy in Sub-Saharan African Context: In Search of In- clusive Development. Basingstoke: Palgrave/Macmillan (pp.1-53), forthcom- ing.
Adesogan, E.K., 1999, Illumination, Wisdom and Development Through Chemis- try: An inaugural lecture delivered at the University of Ibadan in 1987. Ibadan: University of Ibadan.
Adesogan, E.K., 2005, Reminiscence of 45 Years at the University of Ibadan: A Bleak Future for University Education in Nigeria, if…. Valedictory Lecture (26 August 2005). Ibadan: University of Ibadan.
Ajayi, J.F. Ade, and Tamuno, T.N., 1973, The University of Ibadan, 1948-73: A History of the First Twenty-five Years. Ibadan: University of Ibadan Press.
Ajayi, J.F. Ade, Lameck, K.H., Goma, C., and Johnson, A., 1996, The African Ex- perience with Higher Education. London: James Currey.
Assié-Lumumba, N’Dri T., 2005, ‘Critical Perspectives on the Crisis, Planned Change, and the Prospects for Transformation in African Higher Education.’ Journal of Higher Education in Africa, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp.1-29.
Assié-Lumumba, N’Dri T., 2006, Higher Education in Africa: Crises, Reforms, and Transformation. Dakar: CODESRIA.
Awe, O., 1974, Physics in Ibadan: Developing Physics in a Developing Country - an inaugural lecture delivered at the University of Ibadan on Friday, 7 Decem- ber 1973. Ibadan: University of Ibadan.
Cavendish, R., 1982, Women on the Line, London: Routledge. Court D., 2000, ‘Financing Higher Education in Africa: Makerere, the Quiet Revo- lution in Education’, Perspectives in Education, Vol. 19, No. 3.
Delucchi, M. and Pelowski, S., 2000, ‘Liking or Learning?: The Effect of Instructor Likeability and Student Perceptions of Learning on Overall Rating of Teaching Ability’, Radical Pedagogy, Vol. 2, No. 2, http://www.radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/ content/issue2 2e/delpel.html, 13 Nov. 2003.
Egharevba, I., 2001, ‘Researching an “Other” Minority Ethnic Community: Reflec- tions of a Black Female Researcher on the Intersections of Race, Gender and Other Power Positions on the Research Process’, International Journal of So- cial Research Methodology, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 225 241.
Eicher, J.C., 1984, Educational Costing and Financing in Developing Countries: Focus on Sub Saharan Africa, Washington DC: World Bank.
Hendrix, K.G., 2002, ‘Did Being Black Introduce Bias into Your Study?: Attempt- ing to Mute the Race-related Research of Black Scholars’, The Howard Journal of Communications, Vol. 13, pp. 153-171.
Ka e, E. and Macaulay, L.J., 1993, ‘Interviewer Gender and Gender Attitudes’, Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 57, No. 1.
Kotecha, P., 2004, ‘A Bridge Too Far? Constructing Knowledge Societies: New Challenges for Tertiary Education’, Journal of Higher Education in Africa, Vol.2, No. 3, pp.115-122. Magagula, C.M., 2005, ‘The Benefits and Challenge of Cross-Border Higher Edu- cation in Developing Countries’, Journal of Higher Education in Africa, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp.29-49.
Obong, Q.O., 2004, Academic Dilemmas Under Neo-Liberal Education Reforms: A Review of Makerere University, Uganda, in P.T. Zeleza and A. Olukoshi, eds., African Universities in the Twenty-First Century, Volume 2: Knowledge and Society, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Oyetade, S.O., 2000, ‘Issues in the Harmonisation and Standardisation of Yoruba in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin: Implications for Education and Eevelopment.’ In Kwesi K. Prah (ed.) Between Distinction and Extinction: The harmonisation and standardisation of African Languages. Cape Town: CASAS.
Ramphele, M., 2002, ‘Foreword’. In World Bank, Constructing Knowledge Socie- ties. Washington DC: World Bank.
Ramphele, M., 2004, ‘The University as an Actor in Development: New Perspec- tives and Demands’.
Roberts, H., ed., 1981, Doing Feminist Research, London: Routledge.
Rosovsky, H. and Hartley, M., 2002, Evaluation and the Academy: Are We Doing the Right Things? Grade Inflation and Letters of Recommendation, Cambridge, MA: American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Singh, M., 2001, ‘Re-Inserting the “Public Good” into Higher Education Transfor- mation’. Kagiso: Higher Education Discussion Series. Issue 1 (CHE, Pretoria).pp. 8-18.
Soyinka, W., 1994, Ibadan: the Penkelemes Years: A Memoir 1946-1965. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
Tilak, J.B.G., 2004, Are We Marching Towards Laissez-faireism in Higher Educa- tion Development?. Paper presented at the 12th General Conference of the In- ternational Association of Universities, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 25-29 July.
Udegbe, Bola, 2007, ‘Social Policy and the Challenge of Development in Nigeria and Ghana: The Cases of Education and Labour Market.’ In Jimi Adesina (ed.) Social Policy in Sub-Saharan African Context. Basingstoke: Palgrave/ Macmillan.
World Bank, 1986, Financing Education in Developing Countries: An Exploration of Polity Options, Washington DC: World Bank.
World Bank, 1997, Revitalizing Universities in Africa: Strategy and Guidelines, Washington DC: World Bank.
World Bank, 1998, Knowledge for Development: World Development Report, New York: Oxford University Press.
World Bank, 2000, Higher Education in Developing Countries: Peril and Promise, Washington DC: World Bank.