The book offers a foundation for the analysis of modern educational policy for the post-colonial state. It attempts to move beyond clichés about colonial education to an understanding of the complexities of how educational policy was developed in different places at different times while giving credence to arguments which see schooling as a form of social control in the colonial environment. The book will be essential reading for academics, researchers and policy makers looking to better understand colonial education and contextualise modern developments related to the decolonising African education. It is intended to provide an essential background for policy makers by demonstrating the significance of a historical perspective for an understanding of contemporary educational challenges in Africa and elsewhere.