Sustainable Development through Education: The Role of Private Higher Education Institutions in Africa

Abstract

Sustainable development is defined differently by various scholars, though they all agree that it is a process in which we learn to build our capacity to live more sustainably in the future, a notion which is related to a learning that is multi-disciplinary and diverse (Scott and Gough 2003). The connection between sustainable development and higher learning institutions is that the latter are expected to produce effective citizens who have values and capacities, and who are dedicated to securing the needs and capacities of the future generation. Thus, the paper discusses the role of private higher education institutions in Africa in molding citizens and communities that make the optimum and sustainable use of Africa’s natural resources, and influencing policy makers and scholars to incorporate indigenous knowledge into the current education system so that sustainable development is secured in the continent.