The Open University of Tanzania (OUT)

6th ANIE ANNUAL CONFERENCE7Th – 9Th October 2015

From the MDGs to SDGs: The Contributions of International

Higher Education

The contributions of African universities in gender equality

and women empowerment:

The case of the Open University of Tanzania

Presenters:

Dr. Emmanuel Patroba Mhache

Dr. John Msindai

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA

5

The Open University of Tanzania was established in 1992 and became operational in 1993. The university has over 50,000 students scattered all over the country and outside.

At that time of its establishment there were only Two Universities in Tanzania 1. University of Dar es Salaam established in 1970 2. Sokoine University established in1984

The population of Tanzania was around 26 million (Projected from 1988 and 2002 Census data). Now, Tanzania has 45 million plus popln

The school-going-age population stood at 3.5 million in 1990

6

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA

Provided new opportunities to a great majority of people in the communities.

People could now pursue university studies without leaving their domicile and work places.

The fee structure allowed parents to pursue studies without interfering with their children’s schooling.

OUT provided a new philosophy in education – that of life long education

Many women enrolled although figures have always been lower than those of men

The comfort lies in the completion rates. They are more or less same for men and women.

7

Figure 1: Admission by Gender

MDGs to SDGs• The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

comprise eight goals with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world’s poorest people.

• To meet these goals and eradicate poverty, leaders of 189 countries signed the historic millennium declaration at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000.

8

Eight MDGsGoal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hungerGoal 2: Achieve universal primary educationGoal 3: Promote gender equality and empower

womenGoal 4: Reduce child mortalityGoal 5: Improve maternal healthGoal 6: Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseasesGoal 7: Ensure environmental sustainabilityGoal 8: Develop global partnership for development

9

DEFINITION OF TERMS

10

Gender refers to social attributes and opportunities associated with being female or male and the relationships between women and men. Gender equality refers to equal rights, responsibilities of women and men, girls and boys.

Empowerment is the process of enhancing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL THREE (MDG3)

11

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower womenAttain gender equality and the empowerment of women (education);

Promote gender mainstreaming in order to achieve positive development outcomes;

It should be noted that in Tanzania for every 100 women there are 95 men;

This has to be reflected in socio-economic data in the case of OUT if MDG3 is being achieved: i.e.1.In staffing;2. Student enrollment;3. The number of graduates

Table 1: STAFFING: Female Academic Staff as a Percentage of Total Academic Staff by Qualifications

12

Year PhD Masters First Degree Average

%Female %Female %Female 2001/02 5.6 22.8 0 14.2 2002/03 4.8 25.5 0 15.2 2003/04 7.1 22.9 0 15.0 2004/05 15.2 19.2 0 17.2 2005/06 18.9 18.3 0 18.6 2006/07 18.9 22 0 20.5 2007/08 18 23.4 23.4 21.6 2008/09 17 30.9 35.1 27.7 2009/10 16.4 35 35.1 28.8 2010/11 18.6 40.7 33.3 30.9 2011/12 21.3 41.7 34.2 32.4 2012/13 22.4 42.7 33.8 32.9 2013/14 25.0 43.0 27.0 32.0

13

MALE FEMALE TOTAL

2001/2002 60 16 76

2002/2003 60 16 76

2003/2004 64 12 76

2004/2005 61 15 76

2005/2006 90 19 109

2006/2007 96 25 121

2007/2008 131 41 172

2008/2009 148 59 207

2009/2010 183 83 266

2010/2011 204 104 308

2011/2012 216 119 335

2012/2013 227 127 354

2013/2014 244 130 374

Table 2: Academic Staff by Gender

14

MALE FEMALE TOTAL

2009/2010 34 10 44

2010/2011 29 10 39

2011/2012 31 10 41

2012/2013 34 10 44

2013/2014 33 10 43

Table 3: Technical Staff

15

MALE FEMALE TOTAL

2007/2008 55 70 125

2008/2009 92 97 189

2009/2010 124 165 289

2010/2011 128 168 296

2011/2012 116 157 273

2012/2013 116 166 282

2013/2014 119 162 281

Table 4: Administrative Staff

Why this articleGender equality between men and women has not

been achieved due to differences in culture, believes, religious, political systems and discrimination.

The article identified inhibiting factors promoting gender inequality in different areas.

The Open University of Tanzania was identified for this article as a case study.

The OUT was sampled as it has centers all over the country and outside Tanzania.

16

Guiding questionsHow and through what mechanisms gender

equality can be achieved? What role can African universities play in the

process of gender empowerment? Descriptive survey research design was used for this

study. The target population was University Students and

staff (academic and administrative)

17

MDGs to SDGs• Education is a major catalyst for human develop’nt.• The high-level meeting on MDGs (UN, September

2010) UNESCO demonstrated how advances in education can help to achieve all of the MDGs.

• A lot have been achieved in MDGs such as education for all, maternal health, poverty….

• The achievement of MDGs is not 100%, the remaining part will have to be taken up by other strategies, for this case Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

18

The role of universities - MDGs• University is like incubator, it produces educated

people: teachers, engineers, doctors/nurses etc.• Education is a master of everything.• Education contributed much in achieving MDGs.• Most innovations start from the universities. We have

heard a lot of innovations of hybrid seeds, medicines, etc, most of these innovation are from Universities.

• Universities conducts researches and produce publications which are used as reference.

19

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA• The OUT offers education through Open and Distance

Mode. With the liberalization policy in education delivery in place and utilization of ICT facilities all people male and female have access to education wherever they are

• Increase in educational opportunities at university level through open and distance learning approach, education has been considered a pivotal in accelerating economic growth, improving quality of the livelihood and enhancing peace, stability unity and security.

20

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA….• There has been an exponential expansion of open and

distance learning all over the world. • This has been possible due to the development of science

and technology in (ICT). • With ICT, students can study or learn wherever they are.• This flexibility of learning contributed to increase of women

in higher learning institutions.• Higher learning institutions including the OUT receives both

sexes’ males and females provided they meet the set criterions or conditions.

21

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA….• The cumulative number of graduates from 1999 to

2014 reached 22,289 whereby 8,875 (39.8%) were females (OUT Facts and Figures, 2014/15).

• With education number of women have increased in decision making organs like parliament etc.

• Despite various global campaigns on equity and equality to education, opportunity of education to a girl student is still a problem compared to a boy student due to culture, believes, religious and others.

22

EDUCATION AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT• Various authors/ writers highlights the role of

education for women empowerment.• A woman is one of the disadvantaged groups in most

societies. • A woman is also responsible for taking care of the

family, cooking for the family, looking for firewood, fetching water, milking cows etc.

• Women play vital roles in the sustenance of human and community development.

• Nevertheless, women are still lagging behind.

23

EDUCATION AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT Empowerment of women is very important, it is a means of

becoming powerful. Provide women with education is the main tool for empowering

women Empowerment has become the key solution to many problems. Empowerment of women is empowerment of family/

household and in improve development of a nation. Skills is very important, as women will be able to fight and

defend their rights. Skills leads to innovation, the create employment opportunities

EDUCATION AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT Women must define their own needs and goals as well as

strategies. Women must participate full in decision making process. Women and men should together make decisions to issues

in their families and societies. Education is the most important means to empower women with the knowledge skills and self-confidence necessary to participate fully in development process.

With education women acquire employment. Employment plays a vital role in improving women’s status in a society.

FINDINGS The study found that women empowerment is a

process. Several efforts have been done to empower

women.The OUT graduate interviewed commented that,

“education is a major tool for women empowerment. If you provide women with education they will know their rights and fight for them”.

26

FINDINGS…..Hair style is one of the short courses for women at the

OUT. This course empowers women and girls in different hair styles. One girl interviewed had this to say, “I have been working in women’s saloon for about ten years without attending any training related to my activities. I joined the course at the OUT. The course enabled me among others increasing customers and income. Now I am collecting up to Tsh. 100,000 (50 Dollars) a day. Before this course on hair style I was making less money about half of the income I am making now. Thus, education is a power”.

27

FINDINGS• Another course which empowers women is Diploma

Course on Poultry Production and Health.• A woman interviewed showed appreciation to

education. “The course provided her with skills & knowledge on how to keep poultry (chicken and ducks). She acquired knowledge on how to treat diseases facing poultry, manage the poultry and sales. This course enabled her to change from small scale to large-scale poultry. She is now making a good profit because she is now keeping chicken professionally”.

28

WOMEN IN THE OUTThe study also looked on status of women at the

OUT.It was found that, women hold several qualification

and positions at the OUT. There are Professors, Senior Lecturers and Lecturers, to list some. Also there are good number of women with high positions at the OUT, management positions, associate deans, directors at the HQ and in the Regions.

29

LESSON FROM THE FINDINGS• It was found in this study that, women can acquire

the same qualifications as men.• Women can become Professors, Doctors and

Lecturers (See the table in the next slide). • Also women hold different high positions in the

universities and other private and government organs.

30

Table 5: THE OUT STAFF BY GENDER

Ph. D Masters First Degree Total

M F T M F T M F T M F T

73 23 96 95 80 175 55 22 77 223 125 348

24% 45% 28% 32%

31

LESSON FROM THE FINDINGS It was found that in some societies, educating women is not

a priority as it is to men. Women’s duty is reproduction and to take care of the families.

Due to developments in technology, information sharing and flexibility of learning, many women now enroll for further studies.

The OUT is taking good number of women pursuing different studies.

Meeting MDGs, women empowerment is a prerequisite to it.

32

Thanks for Listening

Paper in Progress