Uganda’s Makerere University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has called for support from African governments to ensure that the continent produces highly-skilled graduates.
He made the call during the 12th Australia-Africa Universities Network Forum at the University of Mpumalanga’s Mbombela campus.
Over 60 university heads and professors are attending the forum.
Nawangwe says he’s concerned about the number of PhD graduates produced on the continent compared to the rest of the world.
He says, “Africa has the lowest number of PhDs with a very high population and that definitely is impeding our development because development now is about a knowledge economy. So, if you don’t have the knowledge you cannot develop.”
“So, African governments must strategise and support the development of post-graduate training. We’ve done very well in training people from the primary, secondary up to the bachelors but we don’t have enough PhDs and Masters that will inspire innovation and the creation of jobs,” Nawangwe adds.
Reporting by Michael Mdluli.
