3 - Failed or Self-Hindering Prophecies? Employment Experiences of African Graduates in the 1990s
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 1 No. 1 (2003): Journal of Higher Education in Africa
Abstract
The 1980s brought about sweeping and far-reaching structural changes in many African countries, which greatly affected the higher education sector. Though, the task of training the professional and political elite had been achieved in the previ- ous decades, early reforms now faced new challenges. Concerns were raised that, without substantial new reforms, there may be a mismatch between higher educa- tion and the labor market, leading to massive unemployment among graduates, a tedious transition process from higher education to the labour market, and the un- deremployment of highly skilled laborers in low-skill jobs. This article uses survey data, conducted in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda to exam- ine the basis of such concerns.
The 1980s brought about sweeping and far-reaching structural changes in many African countries, which greatly affected the higher education sector. Though, the task of training the professional and political elite had been achieved in the previ- ous decades, early reforms now faced new challenges. Concerns were raised that, without substantial new reforms, there may be a mismatch between higher educa- tion and the labor market, leading to massive unemployment among graduates, a tedious transition process from higher education to the labour market, and the un- deremployment of highly skilled laborers in low-skill jobs. This article uses survey data, conducted in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda to exam- ine the basis of such concerns.
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- Anyanwu, G.A. & Iloeje, I.C. (2000). Graduate’s employment survey: A tracer study of the graduates of the faculty of arts and agriculture at the University of Nigeria.
- Nsukka, Nigeria: AAU Research Report.
- Djangmah, J.S. (1999). The challenges of vocationalism: A follow up of Ghanaian universities. Legon, Ghana: AAU research report.
- El-Khawas, E. (2000). Patterns of communication and miscommunication between research and policy. In S. Schwarz & U. Teichler (Eds.), The Institutional Basis of Higher Education Research. Experiences and Perspectives (pp. 45–56).
- Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
- Kaijage, E. (2000). Faculty of commerce and management graduates and their employers: A tracer study. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Faculty of Commerce and Management, University of Dar es Salaam.
- Karugu, A. (2000). Higher education and work: Survey of graduates of Kenyatta University. Nairobi, Kenya: AAU research report.
- Kimani, G. (2001). A tracer study of University of Nairobi graduates. Nairobi, Kenya: AAU research report.
- Mayanja, M.K. et al. (1999). A comparative study of Makerere University graduates from the Faculty of Arts & Sciences. Kampala, Uganda: AAU research report.
- Mugabushaka, A.M. (2002). Self employment among graduates in Ghana and Nigeria. In U. Teichler, H. Schomburg, & A.M. Mugabushaka (Eds.), Higher Education and Graduate Employment in Africa: A Comparative Empirical Study in Selected Countries (pp. 77–89). Kassel, Germany: unpublished manuscript. Nkrumah, N. (1985). Africa must Unite. London: Panaf.
- Nyerere, J. K. (1968). The role of the universities. In J. Nyerere, Freedom and Socialism. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Oxford University Press.
- Omoifo, C.N. et al. (1999). Education and achievement in the early career of the University of Benin graduates. Benin, Nigeria: AAU research report.
- Omotosho, J. (2000). Higher education and work: A survey of the alumni of the University of Ilorin who graduated between 1985 and 1994. Ilorin, Nigeria: AAU research report.
- Psacharopoulos, G. (1985). Returns to higher education: A further international up- date and implications. The Journal of Human Resources, 20, 583–604.
- Rathegeber, E. (1991). Women in higher education in Africa: Access and choices. In G.K. Kelly & S. Slaughter (Eds.), Women’s Higher Education in Compara- tive Perspective (pp. 47–62). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Pub- lishers.
- Saint, W. (1992). Universities in Africa. Strategies for Stabilization and Revitaliza- tion. Washington, DC: World Bank.
- Sanyal, B. (1987). Higher Education and Employment. An International Compara- tive Analysis. London: The Falmer Press.
- Sawyerr, A.(2000). Improving higher education research at African universities: The study programme on higher education management in Africa. In S. Schwarz & U. Teichler (Eds.), The Institutional Basis of Higher Education Research: Experiences and Perspectives (pp. 193–199). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
- Schomburg, H. (1995). Standard instrument for graduate and employer surveys. Eschborn, Germany: GTZ Educational Report 68.
- Teichler, U. (1999). Research on the relationships between higher education and the world of work: Past achievements, problems and new challenges. Higher Education, 38, 169–190.
- Teichler, U. (2002). The relationship between higher education and the world of work: Challenge for quality assessment in higher education. South African Jour- nal of Higher Education 14, 4–44.
- Teichler, U., Schomburg, H., & Mugabushaka, A.M. (Eds.). (2002). Higher Educa- tion and Graduate Employment in Africa: A Comparative Empirical Study in Selected Countries. Kassel, Germany: unpublished manuscript. Toure, S. (1998). Strategies for improving relevance of higher education: The ex- perience of Côte d’Ivoire. In UNESCO (Ed.). Higher Education in Africa: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects (pp. 163–175). Paris: UNESCO.
- Ugwuonah, G.E. & Omeje, K.C. (2002). Higher education and demands of man- power development in the Nigerian manufacturing sector: An empirical study of Enugu and Anambra States. Enugu, Nigeria: AAU research report.
- World Bank (1994). Higher Education: The Lessons of Experience. Washington, DC: World Bank.
- Yesufu, T.M. (Ed.). (1973). Creating the African University. Emerging Issues in the 1970s. Ibadan, Nigeria: Oxford University Press.
- Zembere, S.N. & Chinyama, M.P.M. (2000). Higher education and work: Survey of graduates of the University of Malawi who graduated between 1987 and 1995. Lilongwe, Malawi: AAU research report.
References
Anyanwu, G.A. & Iloeje, I.C. (2000). Graduate’s employment survey: A tracer study of the graduates of the faculty of arts and agriculture at the University of Nigeria.
Nsukka, Nigeria: AAU Research Report.
Djangmah, J.S. (1999). The challenges of vocationalism: A follow up of Ghanaian universities. Legon, Ghana: AAU research report.
El-Khawas, E. (2000). Patterns of communication and miscommunication between research and policy. In S. Schwarz & U. Teichler (Eds.), The Institutional Basis of Higher Education Research. Experiences and Perspectives (pp. 45–56).
Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Kaijage, E. (2000). Faculty of commerce and management graduates and their employers: A tracer study. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Faculty of Commerce and Management, University of Dar es Salaam.
Karugu, A. (2000). Higher education and work: Survey of graduates of Kenyatta University. Nairobi, Kenya: AAU research report.
Kimani, G. (2001). A tracer study of University of Nairobi graduates. Nairobi, Kenya: AAU research report.
Mayanja, M.K. et al. (1999). A comparative study of Makerere University graduates from the Faculty of Arts & Sciences. Kampala, Uganda: AAU research report.
Mugabushaka, A.M. (2002). Self employment among graduates in Ghana and Nigeria. In U. Teichler, H. Schomburg, & A.M. Mugabushaka (Eds.), Higher Education and Graduate Employment in Africa: A Comparative Empirical Study in Selected Countries (pp. 77–89). Kassel, Germany: unpublished manuscript. Nkrumah, N. (1985). Africa must Unite. London: Panaf.
Nyerere, J. K. (1968). The role of the universities. In J. Nyerere, Freedom and Socialism. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Oxford University Press.
Omoifo, C.N. et al. (1999). Education and achievement in the early career of the University of Benin graduates. Benin, Nigeria: AAU research report.
Omotosho, J. (2000). Higher education and work: A survey of the alumni of the University of Ilorin who graduated between 1985 and 1994. Ilorin, Nigeria: AAU research report.
Psacharopoulos, G. (1985). Returns to higher education: A further international up- date and implications. The Journal of Human Resources, 20, 583–604.
Rathegeber, E. (1991). Women in higher education in Africa: Access and choices. In G.K. Kelly & S. Slaughter (Eds.), Women’s Higher Education in Compara- tive Perspective (pp. 47–62). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Pub- lishers.
Saint, W. (1992). Universities in Africa. Strategies for Stabilization and Revitaliza- tion. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Sanyal, B. (1987). Higher Education and Employment. An International Compara- tive Analysis. London: The Falmer Press.
Sawyerr, A.(2000). Improving higher education research at African universities: The study programme on higher education management in Africa. In S. Schwarz & U. Teichler (Eds.), The Institutional Basis of Higher Education Research: Experiences and Perspectives (pp. 193–199). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Schomburg, H. (1995). Standard instrument for graduate and employer surveys. Eschborn, Germany: GTZ Educational Report 68.
Teichler, U. (1999). Research on the relationships between higher education and the world of work: Past achievements, problems and new challenges. Higher Education, 38, 169–190.
Teichler, U. (2002). The relationship between higher education and the world of work: Challenge for quality assessment in higher education. South African Jour- nal of Higher Education 14, 4–44.
Teichler, U., Schomburg, H., & Mugabushaka, A.M. (Eds.). (2002). Higher Educa- tion and Graduate Employment in Africa: A Comparative Empirical Study in Selected Countries. Kassel, Germany: unpublished manuscript. Toure, S. (1998). Strategies for improving relevance of higher education: The ex- perience of Côte d’Ivoire. In UNESCO (Ed.). Higher Education in Africa: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects (pp. 163–175). Paris: UNESCO.
Ugwuonah, G.E. & Omeje, K.C. (2002). Higher education and demands of man- power development in the Nigerian manufacturing sector: An empirical study of Enugu and Anambra States. Enugu, Nigeria: AAU research report.
World Bank (1994). Higher Education: The Lessons of Experience. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Yesufu, T.M. (Ed.). (1973). Creating the African University. Emerging Issues in the 1970s. Ibadan, Nigeria: Oxford University Press.
Zembere, S.N. & Chinyama, M.P.M. (2000). Higher education and work: Survey of graduates of the University of Malawi who graduated between 1987 and 1995. Lilongwe, Malawi: AAU research report.