Nairobi: Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has called for a more comprehensive and balanced approach to gender equality in the African higher education sector. Delivering the keynote address at the 3rd Edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) Africa Universities Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, Manamela warned that progress in access for women has not yet translated into equal power or opportunity. He emphasised that gender equality must go beyond enrolment figures and address deeper structural inequalities within institutions and society.
According to South African Government News Agency, Manamela highlighted significant gains made by women in South Africa's higher education system, where women currently make up the majority of university students and graduates, accounting for 62.7% of enrolments and 65.4% of graduates in 2023. He noted that while women are entering and graduating from higher education in larger numbers, these achievements should not be viewed as the end of the gender equality journey. Instead, he described a 'contradiction' in the system, where women dominate enrolment and graduation but remain underrepresented in positions of authority.
Manamela addressed the leadership gap, pointing out that among professors in South African universities, women account for only about a third, with 1,129 female professors compared to 2,216 men. He stressed the importance of measuring equity, diversity, and inclusion across the full academic chain, from access and progression to employment, leadership, and institutional power. He also highlighted similar patterns in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), where women make up the majority of enrolments but remain underrepresented in certain skills programmes traditionally dominated by men.
Challenging common assumptions, Manamela noted that women are increasingly represented in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) fields in South Africa. However, that participation does not automatically translate into equality in career advancement, research leadership, or earnings. He underscored the role of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) as a key instrument of gender transformation, with women accounting for over two-thirds of beneficiaries and receiving the majority of funding.
The summit, held under the theme: 'Powering Africa's future through talent development, innovation and inclusion', brought together higher education leaders, policymakers, and sector stakeholders to engage on critical issues shaping the future of the continent. Among the key areas of focus were global challenges, innovation and entrepreneurship, start-up ecosystems, work readiness and skills development, and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in higher education.