The Status of Chemistry on the African Continent
Dr. C. F. Garbers
Foundation for Research Development, South Africa
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Chemistry in Sub-Saharan Africa is linked strongly to Higher Education.
Over the past decades many efforts in Africa were directed at the
upgrading of science generally and it is difficult to accumulate information
on chemistry more specifically. The report: "Chemistry in Africa's
least Developed Countries. An Overview of Capacity Building and Research
Support" outlines information gathered from many sources over
the past year. I am fully aware of the overview's shortcomings, and
will welcome any criticisms, suggestions and input towards its improvement.
For the purpose of this discussion it is assumed that you have read
the overview, as well as the recommendations to IUPAC/UNESCO. In order
to stimulate discussion I wish to use this opportunity to highlight
specific issues and express my personal opinion on the way forward.
Some statistics regarding Chemistry in Sub-Saharan Africa are summarized
in Figure 1. As a criterion with all
its inherent weaknesses the number of Abstracts of papers by country
in Chemical Abstracts was used. Such a comparison is based on the
assumption that the address of the first author corresponds to the
place of work. Other output criteria could have been used, but was
dependent on responses from the individual chemistry departments from
all African universities. The analysis underlines the great variation
between countries, with no Abstracts emerging in 1996 from five countries,
and a further 21 countries with less than ten Abstracts per annum.
Many countries have sizable activities on which to build, with Nigeria
and South Africa dominating the scene. An effort to use these Abstracts
to identify areas of activity in the Least Developed Countries, proved
fruitless. It should also be noted that in the 1997 UNESCO Statistical
Yearbook, 24 of the 45 listed Sub-Saharan countries had less than
10 000 third level( Post Matric ) students. Problems are further exacerbated
by skewed distribution of enrolments across subjects, with high enrolments
in the Arts and Humanities and low enrolments where the greatest need
is: scientists, engineers, high-level managers, accountants and auditors
to fill the operating positions and to serve as teachers, researchers
and consultants( World Bank, 1994 ).
Another issue to dwell with briefly is Aid Dependency. This is graphically
presented in Figure 2, displaying Aid
as a percentage of Gross National Product. Facets of Higher Education,
generally, and Chemistry, more specifically, are highly dependent
on sustained support by the donor community. Relationships between
institutions and specific donor countries were established over extended
periods. One of the truly successful outcomes, is the corps of African
professionals trained in the best institutions the world has to offer
e.g. the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation provided me with an address
list of its 127 fellows from Africa, two of whom are present today!
This provides a sound and impressive base on which to build. The problems
lie elsewhere!
ICSU and its constituent Unions, and more particularly IUPAC, are
already involved in many activities of great significance to Africa.
IUPAC, in line with its objectives, provides an umbrella home to chemists
throughout the world. If IUPAC wishes to embark on further initiatives,
a detailed study of ongoing activities needs to be made of an arena
served by many external assistance agencies, which strive increasingly
for more coordination of efforts in order to enhance efficiency.
Figure 3: " Sub-Saharan Africa:
Development Aid", reflects some of these external assistance
agencies. Only 11 of the 21 donor countries involved in Africa are
shown, together with some of the funding institutions created by the
respective countries. Reference is made to the large number of active
NGOs; the academic, funding and organizational institutions, and the
active foundations. Apart from the United Nations and its various
agencies, the following activities need to be emphasized:
The World Bank
- - Firstly, the impact of the joint initiative of the Bank
with the African governments for the revitalization of the universities
and the envisaged approach on any new IUPAC initiative needs
to be carefully considered, and
- - secondly, the future impact of the launch of the African
Virtual University pilot phase. Linked into this is the digital
library programme to make scientific information available to
African students.
- In conjunction, progress with the Francophone Virtual University
has to be explored, particularly since Chemistry will be one
of the courses on offer.
- ADEA( Association for the Development of Education in Africa )
The Association was started in an effort to enhance aid effectivity,
with the acknowledgement that the primary responsibility for development
rests with the developing countries themselves. Amongst the currently
eleven operating Working Groups, the following have specific significance:
- - Distance Education/Open Learning;
- - Books & Learning Materials;
- - Higher Education; and
- - Multi-country Collaboration.
As detailed in the Report, the respective agencies of the donor countries
have accumulated decades of experience in close consultation with
recipient African countries. Over the years their approaches were
modified and adapted. Much was achieved.
Figure 4 shows a break down of Japan's
Official Development Assistanc (ODA), totaling USD 18,237 billion
for 1995. This sum includes the ODA for bilateral grants, bilateral
loans, and contributions to multilateral institutions (Total USD 14,489
billion), as well as other official flows. Of this, approximately
USD 1,616 billion went to educational services and investments. Over
the period 1993-1995 two specific chemistry projects were supported
for a total of USD 9,273 million in Zimbabwe and Ghana. An analysis
of all the projects supported showed (Decreasing order) aid towards
(Figure 5):
- (i) A large number of grassroots projects;
- (ii) Projects towards increased food production;
- (iii) Establishment of infrastructure( e.g. water availability,
sewage systems, electricity, roads, bridges);
- (iv) Food aid;
- (v) Variety of further projects.
For various reasons, mobilizing support for Higher Education is difficult.
Concluding remarks (Figure 6)
In my study I experienced that people in considering issues surrounding
Africa, have a tendency to generalize. Huge differences between countries
and between institutions prevail. As a general statement it could
be said that a large number of built-in interrelated uncertainties
and deficiencies exist in Higher Education. Higher Education is still
very elitist and selective in the admission of students. Rising demand
for access prompts a rethink of the whole process. The outcome of
initiatives, however laudable, could be dependent on political decisions
by African governments on a continent of changing political fortunes
and under-performing economies.
Neither IUPAC nor UNESCO is a major funding organization, but together
they have the ability to make directiongiving inputs. Should IUPAC/UNESCO
decide to become involved in selection/funding/launch of a new initiative
in Chemistry, a possible approach with the possibility for reviewing
the involvement - is outlined in the recommendations by the Task Group
to IUPAC. A critical requirement would be the elaboration of a new
approach with all stakeholders. If a new approach is not introduced,
it will in all probability be regarded as `more of the same'.
It would appear that Higher Education on the African continent is
undergoing a paradigm shift:
- - from teaching to learning,
- - from contact to distance/open modes,
- - from books to electronic and virtual approaches,
which further more creates increased possibilities for inter-institutional
collaboration.
In my opinion the Committee on the teaching of Chemistry has something
new and important to contribute. Furthermore, IUPAC is active in the
fields of e.g Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, and in
Chemistry in Human Health with considerable expertise in publication.
Hence for consideration the following could be considered:
- Link into the new approach to learning through the preparation
of texts for training and as reference in selected analytical fields
of importance to developing countries, e.g. water quality, human
health, food analysis, chemical information access, etc. This can
be done in collaboration with a higher education institution and
could lead to some qualification;
- Extend the work of CHEMRAWN to techno-economic analysis of countries
( and regions ) to identify industry and market possibilities particularly
in the chemical field.
I wish I could be more constructive! Thank you.
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