Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
16th May 2012

Market snapshots: Botswana, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Sudan

Earlier this month, we presented a round-up of news from Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius and South Africa. Today we turn to Botswana, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Sudan for the latest from the great continent of Africa...

Botswana at the crossroads

Botswana is actively striving to deploy initiatives for its higher education system. As part of this endeavor, the country has started building a new big campus called Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), some 300 km outside the capital. It is set to become the nation’s second largest university, after the University of Botswana in the country’s capital, Gaborone. Botswana has enroled close to 38,0000 students in its tertiary education system which has 5 university level institutions, 5 colleges of education, 4 technical colleges and 8 institutes of health. As part of the consolidation of its knowledge and skills capacity, it is now merging two institutions - the Tertiary Education Council and the Botswana Training Authority, the later tasked with promoting capacity of skills development. The country has 13 colleges and 1 university that are privately owned. In 2010-11, the private institutions accounted 35 percent of the tertiary education enrolment. The tertiary enrolment rate for Botswana is high. At 15% enrolment it is three times the average rate for the continent. The country is intending to raise the figure to 20% by 2016 when the country marks its 50th year of independence. Botswana has accepted tertiary education as a critical driver in creating an “educated and informed nation” for economic diversification and global competitiveness. The government has made a strategic choice to replace diamonds and minerals with human skills as a more reliable and sustainable economic and social development strategy. In addition to expanding and consolidating its tertiary education system, the country has also embarked on establishing a Botswana Education Hub. The Hub, coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, is intended to make the country a preferred educational destination and a regional center of excellence in education, training and research that contributes to economic diversification and sustainable growth. The objectives of the Hub are to turn the country into a preferred destination for international students, education and training.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Measuring the quality of school conditions and teaching resources

To better meet the rising demand for data, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) works with regional partners to develop new indicators and data collections designed to support programme design and policy making to improve the quality of education. These specialised data collections enable participating countries to benchmark progress towards regional education goals by focusing on issues not covered by the regular UIS annual education survey. In order to get a better picture of the challenges facing schools in sub-Saharan Africa, the UIS is working with the Pan African Institute of Education for Development (IPED) and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) to develop a regional data collection to monitor progress on education priorities articulated in the African Union’s Second Decade of Education. Launched in 2011, 36 of 45 countries completed the first survey, shedding light on the teaching and learning environments in public schools in the region. In light of the positive response, the survey has been extended to all African countries.

political-map-of-africa South Sudan: private universities closed

Finally, in a move to tighten standards, the National Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology in the Republic of South Sudan has ordered (with immediate effect) all private universities in the new country to close, saying they are not operating up to government standards. Dr. Peter Adok Nyaba, the Minister of Higher Education, said this decision to close the universities was reached following a Ministry-commissioned study conducted between January and February of this year. The study focused on a number of factors among which included location, ownership, whether it has a sufficient number of lecture rooms, recreational and teaching facilities, qualifications of the lecturers and the administration. There are at least 34 private universities and colleges in South Sudan in addition to some five public universities. Further details are provided by AllAfrica.com here. Sources: Inside Higher Ed, UNESCO, AllAfrica.com

Most Recent

  • New analysis forecasts marginal growth for foreign enrolment in Australia through 2030 Read More
  • China opens up to global STEM talent with new visa class Read More
  • US proposes new rules for student visas including term limits and other restrictions Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

New analysis forecasts marginal growth for foreign enrolment in Australia through 2030 In the five years leading up to the pandemic, Australia’s foreign enrolment grew at an average of 10%...
Read more
China opens up to global STEM talent with new visa class The contrast offered by the global news headlines over the past couple of weeks could not have been...
Read more
US proposes new rules for student visas including term limits and other restrictions On 28 August 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule: Establishing a Fixed Time...
Read more
US Office of Management and Budget grants budget reprieve to key exchange programmes In a highly unusual intervention in an area of Congressional authority, the US Office of Management and Budget...
Read more
Canada: How is study permit processing taking shape this year? There are two important and recurring themes in our conversations with education agents over the last few months...
Read more
UK study visa grants strengthening in first half of 2025 A 21 August 2025 data release from the UK Home Office shows that student visa grants were up...
Read more
Asian destinations show their strength in latest ranking of student cities The QS Best Student Cities 2026 rankings were released last month, and, for the first time ever, Seoul...
Read more
Many foreign students want to stay in Germany but need more help with the transition to life after study Early findings from an extensive survey of international students in Germany finds that two-thirds would like to stay...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links