Recent Proposals for the Reform of Higher Education in the Sudan: Problems and Prospects

Abstract

A year after seizing power, the military government in the Sudan embarked on extensive reforms of higher education (1990). These include the expansion of universities from 5 to 15, and student enrolments from 5,000 per annum in 1989–90 to 11,600 in 1990–91 which are expected to rise to 20,000 in 1991–92; Arabic is to replace English in the universities; and the development of private universities/colleges is to be encouraged.

The effects of the proposals are equally mixed. The increases in the numbers of universities and in enrolments are generally welcomed. However, the announced abolition of boarding and transport costs is controversial. Equally, the Arabicization of higher education has had the effect of barring Southerners from university education. Also, the dearth of Arabic textbooks and references, and the inability of many lecturers to teach properly in the language, are obstacles to the proper implementation of the programme.