Download Nadozie chapter 10 Education and Development in Africa

Education & Development in Africa
Nnadozie- 10
Summary: Chapter 10-Education
1.
2.
Introduction
Evolution & Transformation of Education
Education in colonial Africa
The Post-independence period
3.Education and Development
Economic Theory of Education &Growth
Education’s Role in Economic Growth
Macroeconomic Impact of Education
4. Education and Future Growth
Education, Income and other benefits
5. Educational Crisis in Africa
6. Educational Policy for Africa
1.Evolution & Transformation
• Modern Education was Neglected in Colonial
Africa before 1960. i.e. Colonial powers
neglected education.
• Following independence a commitment was
made in 1965 by African governments
• Several strong universities were built in countries such
as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, etc
Education during Colonial Period: Prior 1960
• Education was neglected in Colonial Africa
• Curriculum was Euro-centric and did not reflect
the needs of Africans.
• There was “educational dualism” based on race:
One for colonialists/ Europeans and
the other for Africans.
• So, the colonial education did not prepare
Africans for post-independence period
development challenges
The Post-Independence Period
• Between 1960-80 school enrollment
increased by 40% on the average.
• See enrollment increase in primary and
secondary school for selected countries
table 10.2
• Enrollment has been increasing faster
than the population and economic growth
capacity in Africa.
The Post-Independence Period
• 2. There are significant regional, ethnic
and gender imbalances. For example
female illiteracy as a percent of males is
75% in Senegal, and 85% in Kenya.
• 3. Post- colonial school curriculum still
continues to be patterned after European
colonialists, and it has not been adopted to
local African conditions.
Education and Development
• Economists have shown that education plays a
key role in economic growth in terms of
increased productivity, efficiency and improved
income and socialization or social integration.
• Economics of Education has both cost and
benefit dimensions
• The Costs and Benefits play a key role on
individuals and families decision whether they
should invest on education.
• There are both private and social benefits and costs
The Benefits & Costs of Education
• Private Benefits- include increased earnings
and employment, improved health, positive
intergenerational effects, etc..
• Social Benefits: Improved human capital and
health indicators for the whole society and
economy. There are external benefits with more
enlightened civil society and political leadership.
• Greater social stability and lower crime for
society.
• Therefore, education needs to be subsidized
by the public or government due to external
social benefits. Markets or private sector will
under produce education due to its spillover
effects not captured by markets or the private sector
Education’s Role in Economic growth
• Studies show that marginal productivity of
education is high in Africa. It is the highest in
countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria,
and Mozambique.
• Macroeconomic Impact of Education can be
shown in the following economic model
• Y= F(L, K, N, E, T), where Y=output, L=labor,
K=capital, N=natural resources, T= Technology
E= entrepreneurship
• This, a production function or PPF
Education and Future Economic
Growth
• We can use PPF to show the potential for the
effect of education on future growth as in figure
10.1
• Current choices of an economy (in terms of
consumer vs education) will determine future
potential for growth. More investment on
education compared to current consumer
goods will increase future growth.
• See figure 10.1 in the text or Graphical
illustration on the board
Education, Income and Other
Benefits
• See the relationship between adult
illiteracy (AL) and per capita income (PI)
• AL = f( PI), Low PI is associated with high
AL in general- see figure 10.2 for scatter
diagram.
• For example, Niger has the highest
illiteracy rate and lowest income
• Botswana has a high income and low
illiteracy
The Special Benefit of Female Education
• Education increases the opportunity cost of women
staying home.
• And also “As pillars of family life, educated women are
better able to institute child care and family care. Child
survival and success in school and child nutrition is
better assured at homes where mothers have better
education. Thus, Improving the education of women
and girls is a very important means of ensuring
future all-round development of families,
communities, and nations” (Psachropoulos, G. 1984,
quote on page 217 of Nnadozie text)
Conclusions from the Literature of
Economics of Education
• African states often have higher rates of return for
education than investment in physical capital
• Investment on basic (primary) education yields higher
social return than spending at higher levels of education.
• Social returns to investment in education in Africa are
greatest for primary education and least for university
education.
• Education contributes over 15% to economic growth
and less than 10% in Europe and N.America
• There is a mismatch between school curricula and labor
market or employment needs of African economies
• There is educational crisis in Africa reflected in high drop
out rates and gross enrollment declines in the 1980s.
Educational Policy for Africa
• Africa has the highest birth rate in the
world, and its current population of about
750 million will double in 25 years
• Population is “young” i.e. 50% of the
population is under 15.
• Under this condition it is impossible to
provide universal education for all Africans
Africa’s expenditure in relations to other regions
• Comparative educational expenditures per person for
Africa are deficient relative to other regions.
• Africa $16, Asia $68, Arab states $134
Industrial states $769 per person
• This may be where International Aid will do
some good?
• See Public Expenditure as a % of GNP for some
African states. They range from 0.7% (Nigeria)
to 9.1% (Namibia) for 1997
The “Brain Drain” from Africa
• Illiteracy Rates are high and vary among states.
The 1995 data shows it ranges from Chad (85%
highest) to Zimbabwe (lowest (14.9%)- see table
10.5
• African brain drain is serious. It involves : Loss
of highly skilled workers (Doctors, Engineers,
et). This is human capital loss.
• It leads to heavy dependence on expatriates or
foreign experts, undermines the capacity to train
new generation of Africans.
What Causes the Brain Drain
• There are “push” and “pull” factors
• Push factors include- poverty, lack of
opportunity, lack of political freedom,
conflict, wars, personal insecurity, etc..
• Pull factors: Perceived better opportunity,
freedom, professional advance, better
income or wages, schools for children in
Industrial countries such as the USA.
Educational Quality vs. Quantity
• Quantity of schools have increased
sometimes for political reasons.
• But, the quality is low. For example,
Nigeria during the oil boom of 1970s built
a large number of universities. But, these
Universities lacked the faculty, laboratories
and, library facilities.
• A mere increase in buildings do not make
great universities!
African Education is not
development Oriented
• It needs to be re-focused on African needs
• Curriculum needs to be re-designed to
fulfill local needs.
• Education must match local job needs and
requirements.
• There is a need to eliminate educational
gap based on income and gender
• Education of females is especially crucial
for development.