Abstract: | A survey is presented of the development of higher education during the colonial and postcolonial periods in East Africa, taken here to include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, and Zambia. Key elements in the development of higher education are: 1) the significant growth in the number of schools and institutions of higher education; 2) the significant increase in the number of school-leavers and university graduates; 3) various constraints, such as inadequate equipment, lack of books, shortage of teachers, inadequate finance; 4) a decline in the quality of education. Recent trends in the development of higher education include attempts to improve the quality of education, increased cooperation among universities, and advances in the training of academic staff. Bibliogr. |