Many people would agree that the most urgent problem of contemporary
Africa is development. Beyond this, however, there is hardly any consensus on
either the question of what development is or on the means to achieve it. There is
as much controversy over the appropriate socio-political structures required as over
the necessary re-orientations, if any, in thought and practice. The question of the
relevant educational policies and goals continues to divide people. To focus
discussion in a rewarding way, we may approach the issue by addressing three
questions that still seem to remain unresolved. [1] What is the nature of develop-
ment needed by Africa? [2] What kind of political-economic structure is best suited
to this development? [3] Does this development require any cultural reconstruction
i.e. re-orientation in thought and practice away from traditional outlook? Or should
the development effort be reconciled with tradition? I intend, in these concluding
remarks, to attempt a very brief review of the problems.

Development is a multi-faceted and complex phenomenon. Any talk of
development for Africa must therefore isolate the issues involved. In the various
debates generated by the issue, there is a general consensus that there are at least
three aspects of any society that is the focus of development:economic, political
and social. Thus we talk of economic development, political development and
social development. But development itself, in relation to these aspects, suggests
positive and sustained growth. It is the movement from a lower to a higher stage
of existence. In the context of nations, it connotes the realization of higher
capacities for satisfying the needs of the citizens. Thus economic development
suggests the capacity of a society to overcome the scourges of poverty, starvation,

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