African Education Needs Quality, Not Just High Enrolment

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According to a 2013 United Nations report, the state of global education has developed since 2011 with net enrolment rising to 90 per cent in developing nations and 77 per cent in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a negative aspect to this. The rise in student enrolment has not been complemented by a rise in quality of education. 

Is Quality Rising With Quantity?

 

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The details of this topic was discussed at the 2014 African Economic Conference in Ethiopia. Participants at the conference listened to the findings of the research presented by scholars who worked on finding solutions to this dilemma. Esther Mumbi Kinamu, a South African Researcher, analysed and examined the importance of education in economic progress in developing nations. He said that numerous learners who have already completed 9 years of education in Africa, possess skills and knowledge below the global average level. 

She said “They simply cannot compete with their peers from the developed world at that level. For the type of primary education offered to be of significant value, research finds that it should not entirely be theoretical but at least impart some basic skills.” 

Kinamu further quoted works by reputed educationalist Eric A. Hanushek and claimed that as public plans for general education remained the key prerogative of the government, a constant rise in the public investment on academic infrastructure is imminent. She added “Our findings considered neighbourhood characteristics such as access to piped water, toilet facilities and communication facilities, most of which is the work of government. Increased expenditure per pupil also has a significant effect on the quality of a child’s education.” 

Her research, entitled “The effects of pupil-teacher ratio and expenditure per pupil on education attainment in South Africa”, states that in lower grades a low student-teacher ratio has a stronger impact on the quality of education. She added “Family characteristics are important determinants of educational attainment. Our results show that having a parent with at least some secondary education increases the likelihood of attaining a higher level of education, compared to having a parent with no formal education.” 

Focussing On Removing Illiteracy

 

Jennifer Okwonkwo, another renowned education researcher who primarily focused on Education reforms in Francophone West African countries, believes that the African education system should be restructured to enable our students to eradicate poverty, eliminating illiteracy and improving health, instead of encouraging them to dream about having a good life. 

Okwonkwo said “Many African countries have carried out reforms in their education systems, however, the quality of education in Africa remains strikingly low. While some argue that there is no relationship between funding and reform outcomes, others conclude that increase in per-pupil expenditure has a significant positive impact on reform achievement.” She added “Our research finds that increased funding in education is very crucial, but its impact depends highly on how it is used.” 

Need For Better Quality Education

 

However, as per the 2014 Millennium Development Goals Report, most nations are set to achieve their primary education enrolment targets. The report was developed by the African Development Bank in association with the United Nations Development Program, the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The study reveals that 25 nations have reached enrolment rates of over 80 per cent; while 11 countries have enrolment below 75 per cent. But it backs the notion that poor quality education is still a key challenge in spite of having high enrolment ratios, said the Africa Economic Conference research papers. 

What do you think about the quality of education in Africa? Share your thoughts and experiences by commenting below. We would love to hear from you.

Can Low-Cost Private Schools Change the Education Scenario in South Africa?

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The focus has again shifted to the quality of education provided by the South African education system as the required pass marks for grade 7, grade 8 and grade 9 have been increased recently. Affordable private schools are becoming more and more popular as these institutes claim to offer world-class private education at only a part of the regular costs. How do you think this will affect the future of education? Let's find out.... 

Affordable, But Not Cheap

 

Numerous private schools that charge low fees are gradually gaining ground across South Africa. For instance, the Spark Schools, established under the administration of the eAdvance Group, are among these affordable institutions that are raking in students from all over the region. The primary schools were founded by Ryan Harrison and Stacey Brewer while both of them were studying MBA at the Gordon Institute of Business Science. The institutes offer low-cost private education by following the blended learning approach. The property management branch of eAdvance manages to keep the rental costs low. 

The initial Spark School was established in 2013 and acquired ground-breaking academic results. The model seems to prove effective as the founders are now gearing up to open the 3rd and 4th Spark Schools opening in Maboneng and Bramley, Johannesburg by January 2015. 

Stacey Brewer, CEO of eAdvance and co-founder of Spark Schools, says “Our blended learning model allows for high-quality education at an affordable cost. By using online learning together with conventional classroom teaching, we capture data on all our children, and based on how they’re achieving, we’re able to address every child’s individual needs so we can differentiate our instruction accordingly.” 

Merging Technology And Education

 

Taking inspiration from the Spark Schools in Johannesburg, eAdvance has developed long-term plans to establish similar institutions across South Africa. Apart from them, Curro Holdings, an independently-owned and operated Christian private education group, is also striving to provide low-cost private education by merging traditional learning and technology. The establishment is expanding rapidly with more than 33 nursery, primary and high schools throughout South Africa. They aim to establish over 80 schools by the year 2020. 

Moreover with the advent of Pioneer Academies, a new private school network, affordable private institutes with low-cost private schools with inventive education approaches are becoming more popular. 

The group is established by Chinezi Chijioke who formerly led the African Education Practice of McKinsey & Company. With support from private investors, the group is determined to offer cheap yet comprehensive education with sufficient focus on academic as well as emotional development. The network will start their first school next year in Ormonde. 

Brewer of eAdvance believes that affordable private schools are undeniably the future of education in South Africa. She says “We’re providing an education model that’s affordable to the country. One of the greatest proportions of our national budget goes to education, yet we can provide education at the same costs that government is spending, but our quality outcomes are internationally competitive.” 

What do you feel about the present state of education in SA? Do you think low-cost private schools can change the South African education system? If you want to share your own views and opinions on this topic, then feel free to comment below. We would love to hear from you. 

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Online Educators Act As Mentors, Not Lecturers

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Online education has become one of the most popular and preferred modes of learning in the last few years. Numerous aspiring learners are now going online to acquire higher education as well as secondary education qualifications. With growing demand for web-based learning, many reputed universities and institutions are now offering their programmes online to expand the reach of education. But can our students benefit from learning over the Internet? Let’s find out.... 

Making Education Better

 

Being an educationist, I have seen a number of schools, both public and private, modify their operations with the help of online academic tools. Although I am not an expert on online education, but I do believe that all children should have the opportunity to study and learn. I don’t think that online learning is some magical solution to current academic challenges; however it is an important tool which can enable educators to teach students better. 

Helping Non-Traditional Students Learn

 

It is only with the help of education we can reach and educate those students who are incapable of pursuing education in a classroom environment. For instance, those children who cannot attend school for medical reasons can be successfully taught through online learning programmes. Moreover, various other types of individuals, like teenage mothers or working professionals, can earn high school and college degrees and also focus on their personal and/or professional commitments while studying with the help of online education.

Furthermore, online learning has made it easier for aspiring athletes to dedicate adequate time in training and yet manage time to pursue their education. I have known students who are pursuing higher education online while they are training for the Olympics. 

Offering Higher Flexibility

 

I can assure you that traditional education can never match the level of flexibility and convenience offered by online learning. You can earn a high school degree or diploma from a brick-and-mortar school while working or being a mother. With the help of educational technology and online learning, students in different parts of the globe can access high quality education irrespective of their financial backgrounds, location and previous qualification. 

Online education can undoubtedly help various people achieve their academic goals in an affordable way. However it is essential that online programmes offer high quality education and excellent learning experience to enable our students build their careers successfully. 

Is There A Need For Concern?

 

But I believe that when our teachers are taken out of the scenario, we need to start getting concerned about the effects of online learning. Teachers are an essential part of the learning experience and there will always be a need for educators to guide and mentor our learners. 

However, I don’t think this necessitates face to face instruction. It can also be effectively done online via video chats, live chats, email, social media and other forms of digital communication. As a result of this, the role of the teacher changes drastically from purveyor and administrator of knowledge to coach and mentor for students. The focus is now to guide the learners to accomplish their goals, instead of just giving lectures 

Turning Teachers Into Mentors

 

Online educators constantly stay in communication with their students and regularly keep track of their progress. Online educators can check exactly what the students are learning and how they are learning. Moreover, they can easily identify weak students who have fallen behind and help them progress. A traditional teacher will not be able to access such information in a classroom setting. 

As technology develops and the reach of education expands, I believe that more and more schools will implement online learning tools in their classroom by using blended learning techniques. Moreover increasing number of students will also opt for learning online instead of going to a traditional classroom to earn a degree. 

What do you think about online education? Can it help our students learn more effectively? Share your thoughts and ideas with me by commenting below. I would love to hear from you.