The University of South Africa (Unisa), which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, has been lauded for transforming education and playing a critical role in establishing African leadership.
The Great ZK Mathews Hall of Unisa’s Winnie Madikizela Mandela building in Pretoria was a hive of celebratory activities on Monday.
The largest and oldest institution in Sub-Saharan Africa, although recently marred by controversy, has been described as an example of accessible education, by offering distance learning programmes to many across the continent.
Deputy president Paul Mashatile commended the education institution on its achievements, but also said that this milestone should be used to reflect on how Unisa has contributed to shaping Africa's intellectual future by asking difficult questions about Unisa's future contribution to a better Africa and the World.
This, he said, included establishing centres in other nations, such as Ethiopia, which hosts the African Union's headquarters.
Currently, Unisa has one of the highest enrolments rates of any African country and has six academic colleges and over 350,000 students, making it one of the world's most diverse universities.
Mashatile said that by leveraging technology and innovative teaching methods, the university had overcome geographical barriers and expanded access to higher education for individuals who might not have had it otherwise, due to the socio-economic circumstances.
“This inclusiveness has been instrumental in cultivating a diverse population of leaders, ensuring that African voices and perspectives are represented in influential and decision-making positions all over the world.
“In essence, Unisa has been instrumental in transforming education by advocating for change, innovation and equity, and using technology to transform the way we learn,” he said.
Mashatile highlighted that as new goals are set for the next 150 years, collaboration was needed to resolve existential challenges such as:
– Continued lack of access to quality education
– Inequality in education
– High dropout rates
– Poor literacy and numeracy skills