Widening Participation and the Provision of High Quality Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Improvement Programmes: A Case Study of the University of Buea

Abstract

The Cameroon higher education (HE) system is sincerely stratified, with younger and mature students from more privileged backgrounds comprising the majority of student’s from urban city population. Since independence considerable investment has been made to Widen Participation (WP) and provides High Quality Teaching and Learning (PHQTL) but attempts to evaluate these initiatives and demonstrate impact have presented a major challenge for the HE sector. The main objective of the study was to analyse internal stakeholder’s effectiveness in the implementation of WP and the PHQTL in HE can ensure peace, security, welfare and prosperity of a nation. For study proposes one state university in the Anglophone region of Cameroon was taken and different faculties were included in the population. Four senior leaders, four middle leaders and four students were taken as the sample of the study. This qualitative study was conducted through the analysis of the focus group interview transcripts and ethical considerations are presented. The study proposes a typology to measure Widening Participation at all points of the student life-cycle. The new widening participation typology consists of raising aspirations, fair admission and retention, flexible progression, out-reach partners, vocational emphasis, flexible delivery and lifelong learning though groups have changed over time, and attention has shifted from recruitment and admission to retention, on-course support, and access to equitable career opportunities. The present study recommends a pyramid of measuring High Quality Teaching and Learning (HQTL) in Higher Education may be ranked and recognized at local, national and international level. Formalities for achieving widen participation and high quality teaching and learning include: Online learning will have major role; traditional mode still relevant, on the job training – could involve fee, education as a continuous long-term engagement, increased entrepreneurship possibilities, increase learning opportunity for people with disability. Teachers will be encouraged to become learning facilitators, and students will have more influence over their own learning. Tomorrow's classrooms will need to emphasise a mix of student engagement in learning, inquiry-based techniques, curiosity, imagination, and design thinking.