BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
Last week, Human Resource and Technology Affairs Standing Committee of the House of Peoples’ Representatives held discussion with the officials of higher education institutions regarding its finding of field visit inspection at ten public universities.
The universities include Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Adama Science and Technology, Bahir Dar, Debre Markos, Dilla, Semera, Jigjiga, Addis Ababa Science and Technology, and Dire Dawa.
University representatives, members of the Human Resource and Technology Affairs Standing Committee, Minister and State Minister of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MoSHE) Samuel Urkato (PhD) and Samuel Kifle (PhD) attended the discussion.
The Standing Committee has conducted field inspection at the above-mentioned public universities to observe COVID-19 prevention efforts, learning teaching process, research and community services, as well as other activities of the university.
Presenting its report, Chairperson of the House’s Human Resource and Technology Affairs Standing Committee Emiyie Bitew stated that one of the main strengths of all surveyed universities is they are able to continue the normal teaching and learning process while preventing the spread of the virus.
She also said that all learning classes and other facilities of the universities have been re-organized in accordance with COVID-19 protocols. And also, various awareness raising activities have been carried out to curtail the impact of the pandemic in the universities, she added.
The identified shortcomings include inadequate supply of face masks and sanitizers and other related materials, inconsistent implementation of COVID-19 protocols in some universities, carelessness of students and others staffs to wear face masks properly, as well as failing to keep social distance around student cafeterias and libraries.
“Members of the Standing Committee also witnessed in our field observation that there is a peaceful learning and teaching process in all the universities visited ,” she indicated.
Another weakness of some universities is lack of CCTV cameras that play an important role for peacefulness of the teaching learning process, she said adding, infrastructures of some universities also did not take into account students with disabilities and the infrastructures are not conducive for movement. “Frequent power outage and inadequate supply of water are also shortcomings of many universities,” she stated.
Regarding the activities of universities in terms of their research and community services, Emiyie said that some universities have set up a laboratory to test COVID-19 and they are providing diagnostic services to the local community. This activity can be taken as positive move, she added.
By effecting indigenous knowledge, the universities have been conducting various researches that have great importance for the nation, as to her. Beyond being self-sufficient in the production of COVID-19 preventive materials, most public universities are supporting their respective community by providing facemasks and sanitizers according to her.
She further indicated that the shortcoming of the universities in connection with research and community service is that there is a gap in the transfer of research and innovation results to the community at the desired level.
She also urged that continuous awareness creation and supervision activities should be done in collaboration with stakeholders to enable the university community takes the lead in solving problems as there is inconsistency and gap in applying COVID-19 protocols in the universities.
Universities are facing challenges to get consumer goods on time to feed students as there is a problem with the supply of these goods, according to her. So, universities need to work in collaboration with stakeholders to address the problem, she further insisted.
She noted that as the budget allocated for universities by the government for one student per day (16 ETB) is not in line with the current market situation, Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MOSHE) needs to work in coordination with the pertinent stakeholders to solve the problem, she opined.
She also insisted that as the procurement process is complex and inconvenient for universities to purchase inputs needed for research and workshops, and laboratory equipment, as well as to repair them when damaged, universities need to work with stakeholders to create an independent and efficient procurement system to get universities out of this predicament.
So far, the peaceful learning teaching process in the universities is commendable, but it still needs special attention, accordingly.
She also reported that, in some universities, students are being exposed to different addictions because of the openings of illegal khat and shisha parlors, liquor houses, and night clubs around universities without the permission of authorized bodies. Higher education institutions have to work in collaboration with stakeholders to address this serious problem, she recommended.
Higher officials of the aforementioned universities described the main works they are doing in terms of preventing the spread of the pandemic, maintaining the peaceful learning teaching process, as well as their research and community services. They also raised issues that need to be fixed in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MoSHE), House’s Human Resource and Technology Affairs Standing Committee, and other relevant stakeholders.
During the discussion, President of Hawassa University Ayano Beraso (PhD) stated that the spread of coronavirus pandemic has reached highest level in the Sidama regional state, especially in Hawassa city administration.
Although the university is carried out monitoring and controlling activities to stop the spread of the pandemic, students are not willing to wear face masks properly and to apply other COVID-19 protocols, he further noted. “To address this, regular monitoring and awareness raising activities are under way,” he added.
Addis Ababa University President Prof. Tassew Woldehana on his part said the university has been taking precautionary measures in accordance with the COVID-19 protocols. However, students have great difficulty implementing the guidelines, he added.
“Controlling students to wear a face mask is like herding a goat,” he indicated. He also added that the university is enforcing precautionary measures in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.
Science and Higher Education Minister Samuel Urkato (PhD) said that as the spread of the virus is worsening, precautionary measures at all higher education institutions must be strengthened. Institutions need to be more proactive, realizing that the first step in the work of universities in the next six months is to strengthen precautionary measures against the deadly coronavirus pandemic, he further noted.
The Ethiopian Herald 11 April 2021
