A significant need and an important characteristic of learners in higher education is to be creative and critical thinkers. This paper discusses briefly the changes that have taken place in the learning environment since the time modern learning process began in 1800. Further insights into teaching and assessment methodologies, focusing on fostering and cultivating critical thinking (CT) in learners, has been gathered from educators in tertiary institutes. The data gathered helps to identify where there is a deficiency in the learning process that fails to produce graduates who are critical thinkers, to what level the management of a tertiary education provider commits to garner students who are critical thinkers and asks is there a need to have a stand-alone CT module in the curriculum in tertiary institutes. A conceptual framework that depicts the use of CT methodologies at the lower tertiary levels is proposed.