Mastercard Foundation Education Support of Social Transformation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EDUCATION IN SUPPORT OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION: LEARNING FROM THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE MASTERCARD FOUNDATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 I INTRODUCTION 10 A. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program Figure 1 – Four Stages of the Scholars Program B. The African Context C. Purpose of the Report D. Methodology II A PROFILE OF MASTERCARD FOUNDATION SCHOLARS AND PARTNERS 12 A. Scholars Figure 2 – Share of Scholars at Each Level of Study Figure 3 – Number of Scholars by Country of Study “We ask our Scholars to think about how they Figure 4 – Location of Study will give back to society—much more deeply than Figure 4A – The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program Partner Institutions working on a project, but how they will give back Figure 5 – Gender of MasterCard Foundation Scholars over a lifetime.” B. Partners Figure 6 – Cumulative Number of Scholar Graduates, Actual and Projected -Reeta Roy, President and CEO III EARLY LEARNING: RECRUIT, EDUCATE, PREPARE, TRANSITION 16 A. Recruit Figure 7 – Occupation of Primary Head of Household Figure 8 – Undergraduate and Graduate Scholars: Social Change and Career Aspirations B. Educate Figure 9 – Tertiary (Alumni and Scholar) Broad Field of Study Figure 10 – 2014/15 GPA Distribution of Tertiary Scholars Figure 11 – Transformative Leadership Framework Figure 12 – Opportunities for Instructing, Modelling and Practising Transformative Leadership C. Prepare D. Transition Figure 13 – Secondary School Alumni Postsecondary School Specialization Figure 14 – Share of Secondary Scholar Alumni Employed or Pursuing Higher Education Figure 15 – Number of Tertiary Alumni Working or Continuing Their Education Figure 16 – Sectors of Employment: Tertiary Scholars Alumni 48 IV LOOKING TO THE FUTURE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program This is an extraordinary time on the African Learning from the Scholars Program: Recruit, • University partnerships for joint recruitment is the largest private scholarship program ever continent. The majority of Africans now live Educate, Prepare, Transition share costs and knowledge among partner implemented for African youth. The Program is in countries with greater peace and security, institutions. Relationships between NGOs built on the premise that all young people, no stronger democracies, growing economies Drawing on results from Mathematica’s research supporting secondary scholarships and matter their starting point in life, should have the and improved infrastructure compared to two and other data sources, we identifed a number universities can create a pipeline for opportunity to obtain a quality education and decades ago. While the political, economic and of early fndings from across the Program. candidates to reach university. pursue their aspirations. To this end, the Program social challenges are still great, there is enormous • Best practices identifed by partners include provides education at secondary, undergraduate potential for creating sustainable, inclusive growth Recruit beginning the recruitment process as early as and graduate levels, as well as leadership in the future. Education, however, especially at the During the recruit stage, partners select Scholars possible; increasing collaboration with local development for tens of thousands of bright, secondary and tertiary level, is out of reach for who meet the Foundation’s core criteria: partners; and ensuring current and alumni young leaders who are striving to improve their the majority of Africa’s young people, and most economic disadvantage; academic talent; and Scholars understand the recruitment process lives, and who share a commitment to improving of those who are in school do not have access to leadership potential. In examining the efforts of and become advocates for the Program. the lives of others. quality learning opportunities. In order to build the Foundation and its partners to recruit young on Africa’s unfolding progress and establish more people, we found that: • Elite universities are adopting new recruitment While the Program originally aimed to support the equitable societies, youth must be able to access and selection approaches. They are also education and leadership development of 15,000 quality education, and develop the leadership • The Foundation and its partners are expanding the number of disadvantaged youth, the Program’s reach has expanded now skills they need to help create an era of shared successfully recruiting the right profle of students they recruit from Africa due to to over 30,000 talented students, and continues prosperity across the continent. youth who meet the Program’s criteria. participation in the Scholars Program. to grow. Through its network of universities and • A broader, multi-faceted definition of non-governmental organization (NGO) partners, Education in Support of Social Transformation Educate disadvantage as a selection criterion that the Scholars Program ensures that students reports on early learning from the frst fve years During the educate stage, Scholars undertake includes aspects such as orphanhood, with great academic potential and very limited of the Scholars Program. It draws on Foundation both academic and leadership training, preparing disability or living in confict-affected areas, resources are able to equip themselves with the and partner data from participating Scholars themselves to make successful contributions to is more workable than a narrow defnition knowledge and skills they need to join the next research briefs produced by the Foundation’s their economies and societies. The following key of economic disadvantage based on income, generation of ethical leaders. learning partner, Mathematica Policy Research,1 fndings were identifed: and better refects the range of challenges interviews with Scholars, Foundation staff and to accessing education faced by many Key Program elements include: partners, and tracking reports of international Academic Preparation African youth. alumni from other programs for comparative • Three-quarters of tertiary Scholars are • Quality secondary or university education; purposes. By the end of 2016, close to 5,000 • Most secondary Scholars are academic performing well academically, at or above • Holistic fnancial, social and academic supports; Scholars will have graduated from the Program achievers performing within the top national the 3.0 to 4.0 grade point level. (the vast majority being secondary Scholars, cohort upon entering the Program as • Training and mentorship that reinforces the • A small number of Scholars however, are along with several hundred undergraduate and measured by national exams. core values of transformative leadership struggling academically for a range of graduate Scholars). Though the Program is still and a commitment to improving the lives • While recruiting Scholars at the secondary reasons, including diffculty in adjusting to in its early years, we found numerous examples of others; and level, it is important to look for leadership a new culture and academic environment; of impact and transformation, both individual potential and examples of service rather than health issues; and poor ft with chosen • A network of like-minded young leaders and institutional, across the Scholars Program’s leadership positions, due to these Scholars’ major. Partners are helping Scholars committed to giving back. four interlinked stages: recruit, educate, prepare early stage in life. address these challenges through early and transition. identifcation, academic bridging programs • Recruitment of talented, disadvantaged prior to university, tutoring, summer school, African youth requires non-African universities and in limited cases, a change of majors or to reach beyond the top high schools. For this additional time to complete degrees. reason, greater resources in time, travel and staffng are required. Front cover: Rukudzo Muyenga, a MasterCard Foundation Scholar at University of California, Berkeley. Photo credit: Jake Naughton 2 Education in Support of Social Transformation: Learning from the First Five Years of The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program 3 • Tertiary Scholars often need a range of • Expectations regarding what it means to be • Networking with faculty, other Scholars, • The Foundation’s fexible defnition and support, including cultural sensitization a transformative leader can place a heavy alumni and outside professionals is key timeline for return to Africa, its focus on (particularly for those studying abroad); burden on some Scholars. Clarifying that to preparing Scholars for internships and Scholar choice, and support to Scholars introduction to unfamiliar pedagogical and transformative leadership does not require employment, and for fostering opportunities applying for internships and jobs on the learning practices; personal wellness and position or status, and can be exercised at for volunteering, career advancement and continent seem to be facilitating return and health counselling and services; and fnancial multiple levels, can alleviate this burden. lifelong learning. All Scholars require more ‘give-back’ among early cohorts of tertiary literacy training. intentional opportunities to interact with role Scholars studying abroad. Prepare models and mentors in their prospective • Universities have strengthened and • Research on career paths of African alumni During the prepare stage, which overlaps felds, and to practise career networking. expanded these academic and support at international