Political Implications of the Southern African Development Community Agenda on Educational Development in the Region.

N

16

African History; African Studies; Area Studies; Black Studies; Brain Drain; Developing Nations; Economic Development; Educational Development; Foreign Countries; Foreign Culture; Higher Education; International Relations; Non Western Civilization; Political Divisions (Geographic); Social Studies; World Affairs; World History

This paper briefly describes the historical development of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) from its roots in 1980 and examines the work of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) today. The objectives of the SADCC are listed from the 1980 declaration and the achievement of those objectives are assessed. The implications of those objectives for education are analyzed, although the objectives make no direct reference to education. As the human rights agenda formally emerged, education came into the formula. Discussion of problems related to the emergence of educational policies include: (1) the lack of some highly qualified personnel needed for educational development in some areas; (2) the possibility of poaching of qualified personnel from member states; (3) the dissatisfaction with conditions of service by some personnel in some states; (4) weak currencies in some countries which could be exploited to attract the best and most experienced staff from institutions; and (5) the incoming of free South Africa seemingly in dire need for experienced academics. Implications of this "brain drain" are explored. (EH)

1996

ED387384