Tertiary institution should prioritise infrastructure development
> Nteboheleng Mabitso
Maseru – Southern African universities should make
infrastructure development a priority if they are to offer quality
tertiary education.
This statement was made by the Vice Chancellor at the
National University of Lesotho (NUL) Professor Nqosa Mahao in an
interview with Southern Times.
Prof Mahao said lack of infrastructure and moral seriously
affects the quality of education offered by various institutions in the
region.
He said NUL is the worst performing in the region as it
ranges with Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland which is the lowest in terms
of performance.
“Our tertiary institutions are not performing well because
we do not have developed institutions, instead we sent people out of
the country to study, therefore, most of the money gets eroded to
neighbouring countries,” he said.
He said South Africa offers the best tertiary education in
the region as it invests a lot in education but said he could not
compare the tertiary institutions in the region with Europe and USA as
they invest a lot in education.
In Lesotho NUL gets only R240 million which is reported to
be the portion which is given to one faculty in SA universities, a
faculty in the university of Witwatersrand to be specific.
Mahao said due to lack of infrastructure, studies have shown that school level performance in science in the regions out of 14, Lesotho is at 13 followed by Angola.
He said in Lesotho due to lack of infrastructure, university training is largely in Humanities.
Talking about accommodation, he said NUL has about 8000
students but only provides accomodation to 1300 and the rest are staying
outside the campus where security and safety is still a challenge.
He said those students do not have access to internet and
are not able to access reading materials online when they are outside
school premises as some reside where there is no electricity.
On the other hand, Lecture Pharmaceutical Chemistry and
Sciences at NUL Getrude Mothibe said the quality of education is
measured through the services delivered to the community.
Mothibe said in NUL services different disciplines of professions such as Pharmaceutical courses at an early age.
Talking about how the education system differs compared to
the one offered in United States of America and Europe, she said
abroad, they offer generic knowledge but their students do not have
skills to approach the community.
But for the countries in the region like Lesotho, she said
they offer generic and development applications and that build on their
future as in developing countries there are not many resources so
Lectures versus trainers.
She said lectures work with less resources and that means
there is more work as they have to be equipped with skills for some may
be placed in rural areas where there are no resources.
In relation to accommodations facilities, she said SA
offers the best. She said in Lesotho, it is crowded, buildings are not
well maintained and students have to find accomodation not geared for
learning in terms of all security and times gates close early denying
them the opportunity to study.
On whether funding is enough, Mothibe said tertiary
institutions are struggling because the government subvension is very
low and government budget is very low and doesnt allow for expansion and
that puts pressure against increasing fees.
She said that hampers tertiary educations in Lesotho.
Advocate Hoolo ‘Nyane an Independent Analyst said funding
education through government is unsustainable for when fees increase, it
means very few will be able to fund their education.
‘Nyane said it is important for institutions to find other
sustainable ways of funding education like other institutions in the
region which depends on research, and, therefore, those without cannot
expect competitive outcomes.
He said high ranking universities comes from the first
world come from first world which US, United United Kingdom and in
Africa, SA, Cairo, Egypt, Nigeria.
He is it difficult to find high ranking universities from
poor countries and its unimaginable as higher education and resources
are invariable.
Deputy leader of the Basotho National Party (BNP) Chief
Joang Molapo shared the same sentiments saying it is difficult to talk
about tertiary institutions in SADC but said SA Witswatersrand provides
the best engeeniring programs and are comparable to those studying in
the US, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, University of
Kwazulu,University of Botswana to mention a few, for they are ranked
among the best in the world.
He said it is best that universities are compared based on their countires economic strengths.
Chief Molapo said NUL is no longer where it used to be 15
years ago but funding has remained the same as per Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
He also talked about infrastrure development as a main
challenge but also pointed out that universities internationally do not
depend on government funding but do researches.
Lerotholi Polytechnic as known as Fokothi Marketing
Management student Lehlohonolo Choma said thier institutions are lacking
behind in terms of infrastructure when compared to South Africa.
He said they have science laboratories, in terms of
technology they are far from Lesotho. Choma also shared same sentiments
that accomodation for students is a challenge.
Reports indicate that University of Cape Town is South Africa’s oldest university is also often rated as the continent’s best.
Wits is considered one of the top research institutions on
the continent, boasting 20 South African Research Chairs, seven
research institutes and 20 research units.
STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY ranked as the second best
university in South Africa and Africa by the Times Higher Education
World University Rankings list
Rhodes University the university’s school of Journalism
and Media Studies is considered to be one of the best in the country,
with many top journalists graduating from there.
The university of Pretoria is considered one of the leading research universities in South Africa.
University of Cape Town is known for excelling in
creative, specialist areas of study and for taking a practical, hands-on
approach to teaching (particularly in areas of design).
South Africa has a vibrant higher education sector, with
23 state-funded tertiary institutions: 11 universities, six universities
of technology, and six comprehensive institutions.
Namibia: Polytechnic of Namibia admission is based on
grade 12 certificate with a maximum of five qualifying subjects with a
total score of 25 points or more and a E symbol or better in English.
At the University of Namibia’s basic requirement for
entrance to undergraduate degree programmes is a Namibia Senior
Secondary Certificate (NSSC) with a pass in five subjects with a total
score of 25 points, on the UNAM evaluation scale, or more in not more
than three examination sittings.
The University of Zambia School of Medicine is Zambia’s
first Medical School. Its scope of academic instructional delivery has
increased over the years to include not only the MB ChB Program, but
also Pharmacy, Nursing Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Physiotherapy,
Environmental Health and Public Health.
Wits, Pretoria, UCT, Stellebosch have been ranked best medical schools.
SADC Protocol on Education says member states agreed that
where necessary and appropriate, but without prejudice to do normal
admission requirements, socially disadvantaged groups shall be given
preference in admission to fields of study where they have featured
prominently.
It contitues to say that further, the government shall
where necessary provide special scholarships for students from socially
disadvantaged groups.
The Protocol says member states agreed to recommend to
universities and other tertiary instiutions in their countries to
reserve at least five percent of admissions for students SADC nations
other than countries of their own.
Member States also agreed to work towards harmonisation,
equivalence and eventual standardisation equivalence and eventual
standardisation of university entrance requirements.
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