Abstract
This article addresses the changing role of higher education in Africa from the pre-colonial time up to the 1990s. The basic argument is, though higher education institutions are a product of socio-economic and political dynamics of the society in the course of history, these interactions have always been imperfect in Africa since universities did not originally evolve out of social interactions. The introduction of European education during colonial period also did not serve the interests of African societies; instead education was used as a means of extending colonial ideology. After independence, African countries inherited fragile institutions which did not have social legitimacy from the public. The donor-client dependency relationship had inhibited the development of African institutions and the capacity of Africans to develop educational policies which are socially relevant and financially feasible. Thus, higher education institutions in Africa have been carrying out various roles of economic development, Africanization, nation-building, and engines of knowledge economy; at the same time executing foreign roles which have not been owned by African societies.
Highlights
Higher education institutions have carried out various responsibilities since the time of their existence
Higher education institutions in Africa have been carrying out various roles of economic development, Africanization, nation-building, and engines of knowledge economy; at the same time executing foreign roles which have not been owned by African societies
These indigenous African knowledge systems and learning spaces were interrupted by the coming of colonization which deprived African institutions of their historical roots
Summary
Higher education institutions have carried out various responsibilities since the time of their existence. The role they have carried out through time has always been shaped by the continual socio-political and economic dynamics among states, societies and the academic oligarchy (Clark,1983). Higher education policies and reforms have been a product of historical processes which have been shaped by socio-political and economic contexts of nations. African higher education policy setting and reform measures are reflections of historical contexts at various times. The changing role of higher education in Africa could be best understood through analyzing the historical context of the system at large since pre-colonial times. This article analyzes the changing role of higher education in Africa since the pre-colonial setting. The pre-colonial, colonial and post colonial higher education landscape and policy trends of Africa until the 1990s have been analyzed to describe the changing role of higher education institutions in the content
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