非洲大学:更多学生,更少的钱
时间:2019-01-12 作者:英语课 分类:2015年VOA慢速英语(八)月
African Universities: More Students, Less Money 非洲大学:更多学生,更少的钱
Education experts say Africa’s growing higher education system is important to its economic development. But African universities face a number of issues, including emigration of top students, poor infrastructure 1, and high demand combined with a lack of funds.
University leaders from around the African continent met in Johannesburg last week to discuss how to solve these issues and others. The academics who attended the African Universities Summit say the job of educating Africa's students is harder than it has to be.
Engineering professor David Mfinanga is a vice 2 chancellor 3 at the University of Dar es Salaam 4 in Tanzania. He says the main problem facing universities is the high number of students.
"Most countries are trying to increase the number of university graduates because it is important for economic development. But the resources are limited, so that affects quality as well, and therefore we are struggling to balance the two because you need the quantity, you need more graduates, but you need to maintain the quality, and the resources are limited."?
Pinkie Mekgwe is an administrator 5 at the University of Johannesburg. She says schools face another problem: money.
Like many American universities, she says, African universities struggle for funding. But unlike American schools, African schools cannot ask students to pay more tuition.
And, the 2009 global economic crisis reduced African governments' budgets. So, Ms. Mekgwe points out, universities now receive even less funding.
Ousmane Sene is director of the Senegal-based West African Research Center. He says governments also need to look at the result of having many university graduates but few job opportunities.
"What are you going to do with that if they just get out of university and they are out of a job? Because this is a real threat, this is a real conflict-ridden situation in Africa, having these thousands and thousands of graduates, postgraduate 6 students, qualified 7, with plenty of degrees, expecting everything from society, and spending years milling around without getting a decent job, that's a real problem."?
There are no simple answers to the issues that African universities face. But, African educators say the issues are just as serious as many of the continent's other difficult problems, such as war, famine, poverty and quickly changing leaders. And in this case, they say, solving higher education’s problems may help solve the others.
Words in This Story
infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures – such as buildings, roads and bridges – that are needed for a country, region or organization to function properly
funds – n. available money
funding – n. money that is set aside for something, usually by a government
tuition- n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there
conflict-ridden – n. having the quality of strong disagreement between people and groups
- We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
- We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设,发展各类群众文化。
- He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
- They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
- They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
- He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。
- And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好,灿然微笑着和我打招呼,说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
- Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。
- The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
- He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。
- I didn't put down that I had postgraduate degree.我没有写上我有硕士学位。
- After college,Mary hopes to do postgraduate work in law school.大学毕业后, 玛丽想在法学院从事研究工作。