ABSTRACT
Policy concern with educational expansion in developing countries stems from the presumption that investment in education is crucial for technological progress and economic growth. The Maghreb economies are significantly better off by the average African standard, where average per capita income is $520. The commitment of African governments for increased expenditure in the provision of education, far from providing the solution to the problem of growth reversal, was part of the problem itself. The scepticism expressed against investment in tertiary education is not without reason. The application of structural adjustment programmes appears to have reinforced the deskilling trend in the economy. Technology transfer practices provided capacity for the employment of unskilled or semi-skilled labour but did little to promote the development of organisational and managerial capability. The conclusion emerges that for developing countries to achieve technological progress, it would be crucial for education policy to be matched with economic policy.
