Accelerating Catch-up
Tertiary Education for Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
Description:... Economic growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa have more than doubled in the past decade. This growth mainly stems from the rising prices of commodities and other natural resources. In order to sustain this growth surge in the medium to longer term, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa need to adopt a knowledge intensive development strategy. Existing research has established a relationship running from physical capital accumulation and total factor productivity (a measure of Knowledge capabilities) to growth. Recent increases to the "skills premium" within labor markets indicate that rates of return to education are rising, particularly at the upper educational levels. This has major implications for the growth strategies of many African countries as they seek to open their economies and become export-oriented in a highly contested global market. A more knowledge-intensive approach to development that leverages the growth and employment of activities which add more value and have greater export potential, is emerging as an attractive option for many African countries. Yet Africa's present stock of human capital is comparatively small, and the links between universities and businesses are sparse. The ability to manage the expansion of tertiary enrollments in ways that enhance educational quality, promote the development of technological capabilities, and provide financial sustainability is a prerequisite for nations seeking to join the knowledge economy. Private educational providers--universities, technical institutes, non-resident community colleges, and various forms of distance education--could offer financially viable avenues for enrollment expansion, while public institutions consolidate their recent gains by boosting quality, reinvigorating research, and solidifying graduate programs. In the long run, conventional ways of providing tertiary education may need to be transformed into different delivery models, if larger, financially stable, and increasingly competitive tertiary education systems are to emerge on the African continent.
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