Comparative Analysis of Next Generation of Academics Indicators Wisdom Tettey University of Calgary

INTRODUCTION “the most significant human element is absence of sufficient highly qualified academics. A ‘pandemic of enrolment explosion’ had taken place in recent years without commensurate growth in faculty numbers. Sawyerr told a conference in Dublin City University in 2008 that one consequence, for instance, was that for the first time teaching positions in the University of Dar es Salaam were being filled by staff with only a bachelor's degree” (Akilagpa Sawyerr, in Walsh, 2008).

- Increasing Demand on Higher Education in Africa - “participation rates are rising and there was a dramatic hike in student numbers in Sub- Saharan Africa in the six years to 2005: from 2.1 to 3.5 million (UNESCO: Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2008

Enrolment and Staff Growth Examples : Stellenbosch (20,421 in 2000 to 23,439 in 2007) – 15% Makerere (27,420 in 2000 to 33,488 in 2007) – 22% Exception: Univ. of Ibadan (22468 in 2001 to in 2006) -21% Kenya (59,195 in 2001 to 91,541 in 2005) 55% Uganda (60,000 in 2000 to 92,605 in 2006) 54% Academic Staff Growth lagged behind student enrolment Growth

STUDENT AND STAFF GROWTH

Student-Staff Ratios Ratios Gone up in all countries Ghana: 39:1 in 2007 Nigeria: 47:1 in 2007 South Africa: 46:1 in 2006 Variations at Institutional and Faculty Levels

Student-Staff Ratios

Implications of Student-Staff Ratios Burden on staff is a disincentive to entry Creates vicious cycle in context of increasing enrolments Inclination to ‘freeze’ intake (eg. Ibadan), but …notwithstanding the expansion in the number of students attending Africa’s institutions of higher education, the enrolment ratios on the continent are significantly lower than that of any other region of the world, with only one out of 20 young Africans having the opportunity to pursue tertiary education (UNESCO, 2008).

Postgraduate Enrolment Trends show Mixed Picture Proportions of Postgraduates Generally Low Doctoral enrolments as proportion of postgraduate enrolments even lower Postgraduate enrolments dominated by males

Postgraduate Enrolment by Program Level and Gender

Postgraduate Drop-Out and Completion Rates Eg: Faculty of Health Sciences (UKZN) – Average Drop-out rates for thesis-based masters: 56% Average Drop-Out for Doctoral students: 35% Average Completion Rates for thesis-based Masters: 11% Average Completion Rates for Doctoral Students: 10%

Postgraduates with Masters and Doctoral Degrees Nelson Mandela – 1% Doctorate; 16% Masters Stellenbosch – 2% Doctorate; 14% Masters South Africa: 1% Doctorate; about 25% Masters

Postgraduates with Masters and Doctoral Degrees

Academic Staff Establishment vs Vacancies Makerere: 41% deficit in 2004/2005 Much higher deficits in certain units: Public Health – 54% Medicine – 57% EASLIS – 62% Psychology – 62%

ACADEMIC STAFF Academic Staff By Gender

Academic Staff by Age

Academic Staff by Qualification

Academic Staff by Rank “Today we are talking of the issue of the quality of teachers in the system, a survey which is the pyramid structure, revealed that the system is deformed. Today, we are expecting 20 per cent of the staff to be reader and above, 45 per cent to be senior lecturer and others, lecturer grade 1 and below, but what do we have, 61per cent are lecturer grade 1 and below, so how can you fight a battle with scout masters?” he said (Julius Okojie in This Day, 2008).

Academic Staff by Rank

Academic Staff Pursuing Graduate Programs