An ultra-low-cost college degree | Shai Reshef

Translator: Herbert Kinoti Reviewer: Joachim Mangilima

Ningependa kuwashirikisha

I would like to share with you a new model of higher education,

muundo mpya wa helimu ya juu

a model that, once expanded,

muundo ambao ukipanuliwa

can enhance the collective intelligence

unaweza ukaongeza akili ya pamoja

of millions of creative and motivated individuals

ya mamilioni ya watu binafsi walio na motisha na ubunifu

ambao vinginevyo wange achwa nyuma.

that otherwise would be left behind.

tazama ulimwengu

Look at the world.

chagua mahali na upaangazie

Pick a place and focus on it.

You will find humans chasing higher education.

utapata wanadamu wakikimbizana na elimu

ebu tukutane na wengine wao

Let's meet some of them.

Patrick

Patrick.

Patrick was born in Liberia to a family of 20 children.

Patrick alizaliwa Liberia

kwa familia ya watoto ishirini

Wakati wa vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe, yeye na familia yake walilazimika

During the civil war,

he and his family were forced to flee to Nigeria.

kukimbilia Nigeria.

There, in spite of his situation,

huko licha ya hali yake,

he graduated high school with nearly perfect grades.

alihitimu sekondari kwa karibu alama kamili.

He wanted to continue to higher education,

Alitaka kuendelea na elimu ya juu

but due to his family living on the poverty line,

lakini kutokana na familia yake

kuishi katika mstari wa umaskini

he was soon sent to South Africa

haikuchukua mda, akatumwa Afrika Kusini

kufanya kazi na kutuma fedha nyumbani

to work and send back money to feed his family.

kulisha familia yake.

Patrick never gave up his dream of higher education.

Patrick hakuiacha ndoto ya elimu ya juu.

Late at night, after work,

usiku wa manane, baada ya kazi

he surfed the net, looking for ways to study.

alipekua mtandao akitafuta njia za kusoma.

Meet Debbie.

Kutana na Debbie.

Debbie anatoka Florida.

Debbie is from Florida.

Her parents didn't go to college, and neither did any of her siblings.

Wazazi wake hawakuenda chuo,

wala yeyote wa ndugu zake.

Debbie has worked all her life,

Debbie amefanya kazi maisha yake yote,

pays taxes, supports herself month to month,

hulipa kodi, na kujimudu mwezi kwa mwezi,

proud of the American dream,

akijivunia ndoto ya Marekani,

a dream that just won't be complete without higher education.

ndoto ambayo haiwezi ikawa kamili

bila elimu ya juu.

But Debbie doesn't have the savings for higher education.

Lakini Debbie hajaweka akiba

ya elimu ya juu.

She can't pay the tuition.

hawezi kulipia masomo,

Neither could she leave work.

wala kuweza kuacha kazi.

Kutana na Wael.

Meet Wael.

Wael is from Syria.

Wael ni mkaaji wa Syria.

He's experiencing firsthand

anapitia ana kwa ana

the misery, fear and failure imposed on his country.

taabu, hofu na kushindwa

zilizowekewa nchi yake.

He's a big believer in education.

Anaamini sana kwa elimu.

He knew that if he could find an opportunity for higher education,

Alijua kwamba akipata fursa

ya elimu ya juu,

an opportunity to get ahead of the rest,

fursa ya kutangulia wengine,

ana nafasi nzuri ya kuishi

he has a better chance to survive in a world turned upside down.

katika dunia iliogeuka kichwa chini.

The higher education system

Mfumo wa elimu ya juu

failed Patrick, Debbie and Wael,

ulifeli Patrick, Debbie na Wael,

exactly as it is failing millions of potential students --

jinsi tu inavyofeli

mamilioni ya wanafunzi

millions that graduate high school,

mamilioni waliohitimu shule za sekondari

millions that are qualified for higher education,

mamilioni ambao wamefuzu elimu ya juu

millions that want to study yet cannot access it for various reasons.

mamilioni wanaotaka kusoma

bali hawawezi wakapata kwa sababu tofauti.

First: financial.

Kwanza, za fedha.

Universities are expensive; we all know it.

Vyuo vikuu ni ghali. sote twajua

In large parts of the world,

Maeneo kubwa ulimwenguni

higher education is unattainable for an average citizen.

elimu ya juu haiwezekani

kwa raia wa kawaida.

This is probably the biggest problem facing our society.

Hii ndio pengine shida kubwa

inayokumba jamii yetu

Higher education stopped being a right for all

elimu ya juu ilikoma kuwa haki kwa wote

and became a privilege for the few.

ikawa teule kwa wachache.

Second: cultural.

Pili, tamaduni.

wanafunzi waliohitimu elimu ya juu,

Students who are qualified for higher education

can afford -- want to study -- cannot,

wanaojimudu, wanataka masomo, hawawezi

because it is not decent, it is not a place for a woman.

Kwa sababu haiheshimiki,

si mahali pa mwanamke.

Hii ndio taswira ya mamia ya wanawake

This is the story of countless women in Africa, for example,

Afrika, Kwa mfano,

prevented from higher education because of cultural barriers.

Waliozuiliwa kwa elimu ya juu

kwa sababu ya kinga za tamaduni.

And here comes the third reason:

Na hapa ni sababu ya tatu:

UNESCO stated that in 2025,

UNESCO ilisema kuwa mwakani 2025,

100 million students will be deprived of higher education,

wanafunzi milioni mia moja

watanyimwa elimu ya juu

simply because there will not be enough seats to accommodate them,

kwa sababu tu, ya kutokua na viti tosha

kuwapa malazi, kukidhi mahitaji.

to meet the demand.

They will take a placement test, they will pass it,

Watafanya mtihani wa usajili,

wataupita,

but they still won't have access, because there are no places available.

lakini bado hawatapata kuingia

kwa sababu hakuna nafasi zilizoko

These are the reasons I founded University of the People,

Hizi ndizo sababu

Nilianzisha Chuo kikuu cha watu,

si cha faida, na bila malezi,

a nonprofit, tuition-free, degree-granting university

Chuo kinachopeana shahada ya digrii

kupeana mbadala,

to give an alternative,

to create an alternative, to those who have no other;

kujenga mbadala kwa wasio na mwingine

an alternative that will be affordable and scalable,

mbadala ulio nafuu

na wenye kipimo

an alternative that will disrupt the current education system,

mbadala utakao koroga

mfumo wa elimu wa sasa

and open the gates to higher education for every qualified student

ufungue milango ya elimu ya juu

kwa mwanafunzi yeyote aliyehitimu

regardless of what they earn, where they live,

bila kujali pato lao, wala wanakoishi,

or what society says about them.

ama jamii inavyonena kuwahusu.

Patrick, Debbie and Wael

Patrick, Debbie na Wael

are only three examples out of the 1,700 accepted students

ni mifano tatu tu

kati ya wanafunzi 1,700 waliokubaliwa

from 143 countries.

kutoka nchi 143.

Sisi - (Makofi) - Asanteni.

(Applause)

Thank you.

(Applause)

We didn't need to reinvent the wheel.

Hatukuitaji kuibuka na gurudumu jipya.

We just looked at what wasn't working

Tuliangalia tu ni kipi kilikuwa hakifaulu

and used the amazing power of the Internet

na kutumia nguvu ya ajabu ya intaneti

to get around it.

kukizingira.

We set out to build a model

Tuliamua kujenga muundo

that will cut down almost entirely the cost of higher education.

utakao punguza kwa kiwango kikubwa

gharama ya elimu ya juu

And that's how we did it.

na hivyo ndivyo tulifanya.

First, bricks and mortar cost money.

Kwanza, matofali na chokaa ni gharama.

Vyuo vikuu vina matumizi

Universities have expenses that virtual universities don't.

ambayo vyuo vikuu vya mtandao havina.

We don't need to pass these expenses on to our students.

Hatuitaji kupasha gharama hizi

kwa wanafunzi wetu.

Hazipo.

They don't exist.

We also don't need to worry about capacity.

Pia hatufai kubabaishwa na uwezo.

There are no limits of seats in virtual university.

hakuna mipaka ya viti

kwa vyuo vikuu vya mtandao.

Actually, nobody needs to stand at the back of the lecture hall.

Hakika, hakuna anayeitaji kusimama

nyuma ya ukumbi.

Textbooks are also something our students don't need to buy.

Vitabu vya kiada pia ni kitu

wanafunzi wetu hawaitaji kununua.

By using open educational resources

Kwa kutumia raisilimali za elimu ya wazi

and the generosity of professors

na ukarimu wa maprofesa

who are putting their material up free and accessible,

wanaoweka nyenzo zao

bure na zinapatikana,

we don't need to send our students to buy textbooks.

Hatuitaji kutuma wanafunzi wetu kununua vitabu vya kiada,

All of our materials come free.

nyenzo zetu zote zinakuja bure

Even professors,

hata maprofesa,

the most expensive line in any university balance sheet,

Ule mustari ghali kabisa kwa mizania ya chuo kikuu chochote,

come free to our students.

huja bure kwa wanafunzi wetu,

Over 3,000 of them,

zaidi ya 3,000 yao

including presidents, vice chancellors, professors and academic advisers

wakiwemo Marais, makamu wa machancellor,

maprofesa na washauri wa kitaaluma

from top universities such as NYU, Yale, Berkeley and Oxford,

kutoka vyuo vikuu kama vile NYU,

Yale, Berkely, na Oxford,

came on board to help our students.

wakajiunga nasi kuwasaidia wanafunzi wetu.

Finally, is our belief in peer-to-peer learning.

Hatimaye, ni imani yetu kwa masomo ya rika kwa rika.

We use this sound pedagogical model

Tunatumia huu muundo wa ufundishaji imara

to encourage our students from all over the world

kuwapa moyo wanafunzi kutoka kote duniani

to interact and study together,

kuingiliana na kujifunza pamoja

and also to reduce the time our professors need

na pia kupunguza mda

Maprofesa wetu wanaohitaji kujizatiti kwa kazi ya mazoezi darasani.

to labor over class assignments.

Kama intaneti imetufanya kijiji cha kimataifa,

If the Internet has made us a global village,

this model can develop its future leadership.

muundo huu unaweza kuuendeleza uongozi wake wa usoni.

Look how we do it.

Angalia vile tunavyoifanya.

We only offer two programs:

Tunatoa mipango miwili tu:

business administration and computer science,

utawala kibiashara na sayansi ya kompyuta,

the two programs most in demand worldwide,

hiyo mipango miwili

ndio inayosakwa sana duniani kote,

the two programs that are likeliest to help our students find a job.

hiyo mipango miwili ndio yenye uwezo mkubwa

kuwasaidia wanafunzi wetu kupata ajira.

When our students are accepted,

Wanafunzi wetu wanapokubalika,

they are placed in a small classroom of 20 to 30 students,

huwekwa kwa darasa dogo

la wanafunzi 20 kwenda 30 kuhakikisha

to ensure that those who need personalized attention get it.

wanaohitaji usaidizi binafsi wanapata.

Moreover, for every nine-week course, they meet a new peer,

Zaidi ya hayo, kwa kila kozi ya wiki tisa,

hukutana na rika mpya,

a whole new set of students from all over the world.

kundi nzima la wanafunzi wapya

kutoka kote ulimwenguni.

Every week, when they go into the classroom,

Kila wiki, wanapoingia darasani,

they find the lecture notes of the week,

wanapata maelezo ya hotuba ya wiki,

the reading assignment, the homework assignment,

zoezi la kusoma, zoezi la ziada,

and the discussion question, which is the core of our studies.

na swali la majadiliano,

ambayo ni msingi wa masomo yetu,

Every week, every student must contribute to the class discussion,

Kila wiki, kila mwanafunzi

lazima achangie kwa mjadala darasani

and also must comment on the contribution of others.

na pia lazima atoe maoni

kwa michango ya wengine.

This way, we open our students' minds,

Kwa njia hii, tunafungua akili za wanafunzi wetu,

we develop a positive shift in attitude toward different cultures.

tunakuza mwelekeo chanya

kuelekea tamaduni tofauti.

By the end of each week, the students take a quiz,

Mwisho wa kila wiki,

wanafunzi hufanya jaribio,

hand in their homework,

wanawasilisha kazi za ziada,

which are assessed by their peers under the supervision of the instructors,

ambazo hukaguliwa na wenzao

kwa usimamizi wa waalimu,

get a grade, move to the next week.

pata alama, enda kwa wiki nyingine.

By the end of the course, they take the final exam,

Mwisho wa kozi, hufanya mtihani wa mwisho,

get a grade, and follow to the next course.

pata alama, na kuenda kwa kozi nyingine.

We open the gates for higher education for every qualified student.

Tulifungua milango ya elimu ya juu

kwa mwanafunzi yeyote aliyehitimu.

Every student with a high school diploma,

Mwanafunzi yeyote aliyehitimu sekondari,

sufficient English and Internet connection

kingereza tosha na muunganisho wa intaneti

can study with us.

anaweza kusoma na sisi.

We don't use audio, we don't use video.

Hatutumii redio. Hatutumii video.

Broadband is not necessary.

upana wa bendi si hoja.

Any student from any part of the world with any Internet connection

Mwanafunzi yeyote kutoka kokote duniani

aliye na mwuunganisho wowote wa intaneti

can study with us.

anaweza kusoma nasi.

We are tuition free.

tuko malezi-huru.

tuulizacho tu wanafunzi wetu kukidhi

All we ask our students to cover is the cost of their exams,

ni gharama ya mitihani yao,

100 dollars per exam.

Dola 100 kwa kila mtihani.

A full-time bachelor's degree student taking 40 courses

Mwanafunzi wa muda kamili wa digrii ya hahada ya kwanza

anayechukua kozi 40,

will pay 1,000 dollars a year,

atalipa dola 1,000 kwa mwaka,

4,000 dollars for the entire degree.

Dola 4,000 kukamilisha digrii,

And for those who cannot afford even this,

na kwa wale hawawezi kumudu hata hii,

we offer them a variety of scholarships.

tunawapa udhamini aina mbali mbali.

It is our mission that nobody will be left behind

Ni dhamira yetu kuwa hakuna atakayeachwa nyuma

for financial reasons.

kwa sababu za kifedha.

With 5,000 students in 2016, this model is financially sustainable.

Kwa wanafunzi 5,000 mwaka wa 2016,

muundo huu ni endelevu kifedha.

Five years ago, it was a vision.

Miaka mitano iliyopita, yalikuwa maono.

Today, it is a reality.

Leo, ni halisi.

Last month, we got the ultimate academic endorsement to our model.

Mwezi jana, hatimaye tulipata

muhuri wa kitaaluma kwa muundo wetu.

University of the People is now fully accredited.

Chuo kikuu cha watu sasa kina kibali rasmi

(Applause)

(Makofi)

Asanteni.

Thank you.

(Applause)

With this accreditation, it's our time now to scale up.

Kwa kibali hichi,

ni wakati wetu sasa kupaa

We have demonstrated that our model works.

Tumeonyesha kwamba muundo wetu unafanya kazi.

nakaribisha vyuo vikuu, na maana zaidi,

I invite universities and, even more important,

developing countries' governments,

serikali za nchi zinazokua,

kuiga muundo huu

to replicate this model

kuhakikisha milango ya elimu ya juu

to ensure that the gates of higher education will open widely.

itapanuka zaidi.

A new era is coming --

Enzi mpya inakuja

an era that will witness the disruption of the higher education model

enzi itakayo shuhudia

kuvurugika kwa elimu ya juu

as we know it today,

kama tunvyoijua leo,

from being a privilege for the few

kutoka kuwa teule kwa wachache

to becoming a basic right, affordable and accessible for all.

kuenda kuwa haki ya kimsingi,

nafuu na inayopatikana kwa wote,

Thank you.

Asanteni.

(Applause)

(Makofi)