ADDIS ABABA – Ministry of Science and Higher Education announced that the undergraduate programs that used to take three years to earn given degrees would last for four years starting the next Ethiopian academic year.
“In the coming academic year, fresh man courses will be commenced at the same time the year of under graduates program will be changed from three years to four, and universities will be arranged in accordance with mission and capacity of being center of excellence,” the Minister Hirut Woldemariam (Prof) reiterated Monday while she was discussing with Higher Education Institutions and regional education bureau heads and others pertinent stakes.
She also said consorted efforts are underway to reform higher education in a bid to bring about demographic dividend for the nation. She further said that the ultimate goal of education is to transform society and let citizens enjoy better life, in this regard, she said Ethiopia has recorded great achievements in the past years but gaps in higher education in producing productive human capital is surfaced and the working to curb the challenges introducing new reforms that are going to be applied in the new academic year.
Though,
the number of public and private universities grown but the competency of
graduates in work world is not up to the required quality. The industry is
facing short
of skilled human power at the
same time the higher education leadership arrangement has played a driving role
in producing graduates with low competency and poor communication and
entrepreneurship, she indicated.
As to her, the road map of education has proved that though the previous education policy has made the nation to improve quality in all levels but the outputs in the higher education is becoming behind the set national standards. Hirut noted that the government is working coherently with all parties to address the emerging challenges in higher education be center of where human capital be equipped with relevant skill, knowledge.
According to her, in the past six months, the Ministry has been working with pertinent stakes and collected inputs that should be applied in the higher education. According to her, unless pertinent stake embarked early in shaping the human capital development in higher education, it could not possible make sure the desired development as well transforms nation industrialization.
The higher education reform initiative has identified gaps in each party’s universities, parents, instructors, academies among others and many recommendations that could assist to curb the challenges observed, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald, August 21/2019
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
