Higher education in angola: From colonity to decolonity

Abstract

In Angola, Higher Education has undergone several transmutations. This communication aims to show the transformations that Angolan Higher Education has undergone in its history and the associated process of colonity and decolonity. Through a bibliographic and documentary research in this area will deconstruct this objective. The history of Higher Education can be divided into phases: Non-existence (until 1962), Final Colonial (until 1975), Civil War (until 2002) and Post-Peace (since 2002) and Current. Its origin had a religious initiative. Without this option, those who wished to pursue higher education went abroad, particularly to Portugal. These were from families with greater financial resources or supported by religious missions. In 1962 the General University Studies appeared, initiating public higher education in the territory. The number of students was small, as the migrations to Portugal continued. In Angola, Higher Studies constituted an elitist-exclusivist system, promoter of colonial culture and defender of the interests of the regime, where individuals of the black race had almost zero access. Independence in 1975 provoked a massive departure of teachers. The lack of staff hindered the evolution of education. For example, in 1977, the year of the first educational reform, there was a drastic decrease of 73.4% in the number of university students. All the political-military and socio-economic constraints of the civil war, and later years, prevented decolonization and the intended advancement in Higher Education. Peace in 2002 boosted the growth and expansion of universities, expanding the offer of institutions and higher education courses. In national development, Higher Education has a key role in the training of cadres to boost the growth and reconstruction of the country, so its growth in quantity and quality and territorial expansion are targets that Angola seeks to achieve. The process of colonity/decolonity leads us to a pertinent research and reflection.