Colonialism and the Development of Higher Education: Policy Impact on Post-Colonial African Universities
Abstract
This article traces the history of the development of higher education in British colonial Africa. It argues that British colonial education policies not only created dependent higher education institutions in the final days of colonial rule in the British territories (Rodney, 2010; Altbach, 2003), but the policies also failed to make these institutions relevant to their societies and peoples. Furthermore, no attempts were made to establish any meaningful and effective working relations between higher education and industry for national development and economic growth. To a large extent, therefore, African higher education institutions have continued to remain alien centers of higher learning almost removed from the realities and the needs of post-colonial African societies and their peoples. The article suggests the need for the re-orientation of the nature and goals of the curricula of African universities, if they hope to make any significant impact on their societies and the world at large.