Massification in Anglophone African Higher Education
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, African universities have expanded enrollment rapidly in response to rising
demand. Although access has improved, these gains often come with trade-offs in quality, relevance,
and strategic direction. This paper argues that interpreting massification is complicated by the
continent’s persistently low gross enrollment ratios and that unbalanced program offerings
reinforced by fee-paying models have constrained universities’ developmental potential. Examples
from Anglophone Africa illustrate the need to more deliberately align expansion with national
priorities.
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