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Commodification of Zimbabwe's Higher Education Amid Funding Decline: Impact on Universal Access

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Title: Commodification of Zimbabwe's Higher Education Amid Funding Decline: Impact on Universal Access
Language: English
Authors: Barbara H. Tsverukayi (ORCID 0000-0002-9944-1388), Leon Poshai (ORCID 0000-0003-1829-6025)
Source: Transformation in Higher Education. 2024 9.
Availability: AOSIS. 15 Oxford Street, Durbanville, Cape Town, 7550 South Africa. Tel: +27-21-975-2602; Fax: +27-21-975-4635; e-mail: publishing@aosis.co.za; Web site: https://thejournal.org.za/index.php/thejournal
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Access to Education, State Universities, Neoliberalism, Marketing, Higher Education, Foreign Countries, Economic Climate, Equal Education, Barriers, College Administration, Administrator Attitudes, Inclusion, Financial Exigency, Educational Change, Educational Finance, Declining Enrollment, Debt (Financial), Financial Needs, Sustainable Development, Objectives, International Organizations, Educational Attainment
Geographic Terms: Zimbabwe
ISSN: 2415-0991
2519-5638
Abstract: The volatile economic environment in Zimbabwe, which is characterised by persistent hyperinflation has exposed the education access inequalities in Zimbabwe's public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The persisting harsh economic conditions in Zimbabwe have further worsened the decline in higher education funding in addition to the budgetary cuts and the removal of student financial support systems in the late 1980s. This study aims to examine the impact of these neoliberal approaches on inclusive education access in Zimbabwe's HEIs. The study used the qualitative research approach. The study participants included purposefully selected university managers and students at a state university in Zimbabwe. Data were collected from university managers through interviews while a combination of interviews and focus group discussions was used to collect data from the students. The study revealed that the adoption of neoliberal approaches such as austerity measures in Zimbabwe created a domino effect in the higher education sector as HEIs started to introduce marketbased approaches. The adoption of market-oriented approaches in HEIs denigrated universal access to higher education and incapacitated students financially as shown by the declining enrolments and soaring student debts in the studied HEI. Based on the study results, this article concludes that there is a glaring need for restoring financial support towards empowering Zimbabwe's public HEIs to be responsive to the financial needs of students. This will contribute towards achieving inclusive and equitable education, which promotes universal lifelong learning opportunities as embedded in Sustainable Development Goal 4 and Sustainable Development Goal 10. Contribution: Through an in-depth account of the experiences of students and managers in HEIs, this study provides an empirical understanding of the challenges associated with the adoption of neoliberal approaches in Zimbabwe's higher education institutions.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1452455
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Commodification of Zimbabwe's Higher Education Amid Funding Decline: Impact on Universal Access
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Barbara+H%2E+Tsverukayi%22">Barbara H. Tsverukayi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9944-1388">0000-0002-9944-1388</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Leon+Poshai%22">Leon Poshai</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1829-6025">0000-0003-1829-6025</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Transformation+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>Transformation in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2024 9.
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  Data: AOSIS. 15 Oxford Street, Durbanville, Cape Town, 7550 South Africa. Tel: +27-21-975-2602; Fax: +27-21-975-4635; e-mail: publishing@aosis.co.za; Web site: https://thejournal.org.za/index.php/thejournal
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  Data: 9
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Education%22">Access to Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Universities%22">State Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neoliberalism%22">Neoliberalism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marketing%22">Marketing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+Climate%22">Economic Climate</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Administration%22">College Administration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusion%22">Inclusion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Financial+Exigency%22">Financial Exigency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Finance%22">Educational Finance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Declining+Enrollment%22">Declining Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Debt+%28Financial%29%22">Debt (Financial)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Financial+Needs%22">Financial Needs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainable+Development%22">Sustainable Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Objectives%22">Objectives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Organizations%22">International Organizations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Zimbabwe%22">Zimbabwe</searchLink>
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  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2415-0991<br />2519-5638
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The volatile economic environment in Zimbabwe, which is characterised by persistent hyperinflation has exposed the education access inequalities in Zimbabwe's public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The persisting harsh economic conditions in Zimbabwe have further worsened the decline in higher education funding in addition to the budgetary cuts and the removal of student financial support systems in the late 1980s. This study aims to examine the impact of these neoliberal approaches on inclusive education access in Zimbabwe's HEIs. The study used the qualitative research approach. The study participants included purposefully selected university managers and students at a state university in Zimbabwe. Data were collected from university managers through interviews while a combination of interviews and focus group discussions was used to collect data from the students. The study revealed that the adoption of neoliberal approaches such as austerity measures in Zimbabwe created a domino effect in the higher education sector as HEIs started to introduce marketbased approaches. The adoption of market-oriented approaches in HEIs denigrated universal access to higher education and incapacitated students financially as shown by the declining enrolments and soaring student debts in the studied HEI. Based on the study results, this article concludes that there is a glaring need for restoring financial support towards empowering Zimbabwe's public HEIs to be responsive to the financial needs of students. This will contribute towards achieving inclusive and equitable education, which promotes universal lifelong learning opportunities as embedded in Sustainable Development Goal 4 and Sustainable Development Goal 10. Contribution: Through an in-depth account of the experiences of students and managers in HEIs, this study provides an empirical understanding of the challenges associated with the adoption of neoliberal approaches in Zimbabwe's higher education institutions.
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: EJ1452455
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Access to Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Universities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neoliberalism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Marketing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Economic Climate
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Equal Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Inclusion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Financial Exigency
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Finance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Declining Enrollment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Debt (Financial)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Financial Needs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sustainable Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Objectives
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: International Organizations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Zimbabwe
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Commodification of Zimbabwe's Higher Education Amid Funding Decline: Impact on Universal Access
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              Type: published
              Y: 2024
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