The African University as a Multinational Corporation: Problems of Penetration and Dependency

Abstract

In recent years multinational corporations have been criticized for their exploitation of African economies as well as for their influence on African culture. In this article, the author argues that Western influence is expressed through another African institution— the university. For the author the university is an analogue to a multinational corporation: born as an extension of a metropolitan university whose direction and instructions come from a European country, the African university continues to serve other than African interests. The author describes the symbiotic relationship between education and economic development,and then outlines strategies for changing the university so it will foster cultural as well as economic independence in African nations.

Teacher-Centered vs. Student-Centered

“…Literature indicates that the majority of SSA countries inherited their education systems from European colonial governments and missionaries (Kasozi, 2003;Mazrui, 1975). Consequently, most PSE institutions followed the philosophy and pedagogy of their founders (Muwagga, 2005).…”

A CHILD OF THE EMPIRE: BRITISH SOCIOLOGY AND COLONIALISM, 1940s-1960s

“…The colonial universities were integrated into the metropolitan system, adopting the “British curricula with minor modifications to suit local conditions” and earning degrees from the University of London, with which they were affiliated in a “special relationship” until they “reached maturity” (Ashby, , p. 11). All examination questions were “printed in London, put into envelopes, sealed, returned to the African campuses, and not opened until the actual taking of the examination,” after which they were dispatched to London “for authoritative grading” (Mazrui, , pp. 194–195).…”

Technical and Vocational Education in Developing Countries: Western paradigms and comparative methodology

“…It has been argued that, in Africa especially, it is the universities that filter Western knowledge and help to perpetuate the problem of dependency (Eisomon, 1980;Woodhouse, 1987). Mazrui (1978) has argued that apart from their language of instruction the universities also foster Eurocentric values, knowledge and understanding and are usually amongst the first institutions to copy new ideas adopted in the West. Irizarry (1983) goes even further, arguing that because the universities are rooted into structures of dependency, because most development models pursued since the 1960s have been shaped by Western economic thinking, because the industrialisation and urbanisation that has taken place has been as a result of Western investment, there have been few opportunities to develop indigenous technologies and the research and development that should naturally accompany these.…”