Private Financing of Higher Education and Democracy: The Case of Tanzania and Kenya

Higher education has undergone reforms since 1980s. One of those reforms is financing of the education. Apparently, African states were instituting democratisation process. That means higher education reforms and democratisation process were both crucial and inevitable. While financing reforms emphasized a reduced role of government in financing higher education on one hand, democratisation process emphasized among others protection and promotion of human rights by state parties on the other hand. Private financing of higher education was introduced in Africa in 1990s. This study used ‘a parallel demonstration of theory’ in Tanzania and Kenya as case studies to examine the extent of the impact of private financing on the poor in accessing higher education. Specifically, the study compared student loans schemes established by both governments (in response to protecting and promoting human rights) so as to explain whether the schemes have democratised access to university education by the poor. The study was organized through seven compact chapters. Chapter one is background to the study. Through this chapter the study derives a connection between higher education and democracy for development and economic growth; of which both Tanzania and Kenya among the rest of the world strive to excel. Chapter two is the theoretical and conceptual framework. The chapter presents a debate concerning financing of higher education. There are three main perspectives to explain how financing of higher education should be. These include:- (a) public good theory, (b) Neo-liberal political economy, and (c) a rights-based approach to financing education. Out of the three perspectives three models of financing higher education are detected and examined promptly. They are public financing, private financing, and eclectic approach to financing higher education. Based on the fact that states have ratified international instruments of promoting and protecting human rights, and a bill of rights is included in national constitutions then a rights-based approach has emphatic arguments to bridge the gap between the model for financing higher education and democratisation in order to achive economic growth and development. Consequently, eclectic approach to financing higher education is desirable. Also, the chapter explains different concepts used by this study to provide a clear understanding of arguments.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Bayreuth

Year

2014

Author dc:creator

• Makulilo, Victoria Boniface

Contributors dc:contributor

• Neubert, Dieter

Repository record source_url

https://epub.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/1839/

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:epub.uni-bayreuth.de:1839