Issues and Challenges of Student Financing Systems in Africa: The Case of Tanzania

The worldwide surge in demand for higher education (HE) aligns with an increasing need for effective student funding systems, particularly in countries where poverty poses a significant barrier to accessing HE. An international perspective on governmental student funding systems allows us to examine how other governments have implemented these systems to benefit their citizens. The aim of this article is thus to provide a global view of the functioning and challenges pertaining to student funding systems and to shed light on the policies in place in the international landscape. The realist systematic literature review methodology was deemed the most suitable for this study as various scholars have previously studied different facets of the topic. This study aligns with the interpretive research paradigm and qualitative methods. The desired information therefore already exists within the body of knowledge, although it has not yet been analyzed through this particular method. It is evident that both developing and developed countries experience challenges regarding student funding, both in the purpose thereof as well as in the implementation. This is a universal issue, and an in-depth literature review confirmed this phenomenon.

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The impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy education: Perspectives of Nigerian undergraduate pharmacy students

Okoro

Aluh

Biambo

et al. 2020

Pharm Educ

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Context: Globally, every school and college of pharmacy is challenged to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy education and must find ways to continue to communicate with colleagues and educate their students. Aims: To describe the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate pharmacy students’ education and learning in Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with an online questionnaire. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from the students. Associations between learning and respondents’ characteristics were determined with either chi-square test or fisher’s exact test at p<0.05. Results: Most of the students (91.0%, n=343/377) were not taught during COVID-19 school closures in Nigeria. The school closures had a significant effect on the academic lives of most students (99.2%, p<0.05). Extension of graduation year was the highest (24.2%) academic impact. High cost of internet data (28.6%) was the most common challenge with online learning among the students. A marked proportion (70.9%, (p<0.05) of the students preferred a combination of online and face-to-face learning methods after the pandemic. Conclusions: COVID-19 has impacted pharmacy education in Nigeria due to the discontinuity of learning, a lack of effective online learning, and an extension of students’ expected year of graduation. A combination of online and face-to-face learning methods was perceived to be better after the pandemic. This finding highlights the need for Nigerian pharmacy educators to tap into the opportunities presented by the pandemic to improve pharmacy education and ultimately pharmacy practice in the country.

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Issues and Challenges of Student Financing Systems in Africa: The Case of Tanzania

Cited by 3 publications

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Navigating the Tension in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Growing Populations and Shrinking Higher Education Programs in Southern African Countries

Navigating the Tension in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Growing Populations and Shrinking Higher Education Programs in Southern African Countries

Governmental student funding systems for higher education: an international perspective

The impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy education: Perspectives of Nigerian undergraduate pharmacy students

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