Among the many facilities that were vandalized, and destroyed by the terrorist TPLF faction, Woldia University was the one.
Following the invasion of the terrorist TPLF faction in Amhara State, the University had been shut down owing to the looting and destruction of school materials including desks and tables, laboratories, IT rooms, dormitories and other equipment by the insurgents of the terrorist group.
As President of the University, Abebe Girma (PhD) once told local media, the terrorist organizations destroyed administrative buildings, laboratories, ICT infrastructures, libraries, and students’ cafe and burned down books and other teaching equipment worth more than 6 billion Birr.
However, currently, with the effort made to restore the University; and resume the teaching-learning process by the government, stakeholders and concerned individuals, Woldia University has finalized preparation to resume the teaching and learning activity and it has made announcement for students to get registered in person.
As University’s President Dr. Abebe Girma told for local media, the University has finalized the necessary basic activities to recommence the teaching and learning activity that was held off due to the destructive acts of the TPLF terrorist group.
Even if the University was looted and destroyed and the teaching and learning activities interrupted for months, due to the support gained from other nine government universities, presently it has reached to the level it can restart its operations.
Subsequent to the concerted efforts made to refurbished vandalized and damaged properties thereby to recommence services, it is enabled to restore dormitories, classrooms, and other materials.
Now, the security situation in the area is also stable, he remarked.
He also expressed university’s future plan to refurbish damaged properties and infrastructures joining hands with the government, charity organizations and university’s former students.
Students’ Café Team Leader, Solomon Sisay on his part said that, over 45 giant and small cafe equipment including utensils and machines were left nonfunctional by the terrorist group.
“Even though it is challenging to refurbish all at once, we have tried to prioritize and procure the most essential kitchen materials such as refrigerators, baking equipment, meat and onion choppers and similar small machines, at a cost of over 40 million Birr. The rest items will be fulfilled in a short and long term in accordance to their importance and urgency” Solomon added.
Mentioning that food raw materials are also being fully imported, he said milling machines are expected to be imported in the coming days.
All of university’s employees would abort the evil intentions of the burglar group and lift up the reputation of the University more than ever before through working persistently and committedly, he remarked.
Meanwhile, Woldia University has provided psychological rehabilitation trainings to 29 teachers who were residing in Mersa College of Agriculture and whose houses and properties were looted and destroyed by the rebels group.
The training, which was offered under the title “Mental Health and Psychosocial treatment for war affected areas of Amhara region”, aimed at helping victims cope with the psychological traumas they encountered by the conflict aside from the economic and social challenges.
According to the study conducted by the University on this same issue, properties worth over eight million Birr damaged.
Mersa Agriculture College, Research and Community Coordination Office Coordinator Simeneh Gete on his part said that the training was offered in collaboration with the University’s Community Services Office, Health Sciences College, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Faculty of Education and Behavior.”
“The training was arranged to assist victims recover from the traumatic events they were exposed to and to return back them to their normal jobs. After the training, we, victims of the incident will be able to carry out our daily activities and discharge our teaching and learning responsibilities, conduct researches and perform community based services accordingly, without the feeling of stress and apprehension,” he remarked.
Trainees also expressed their gratefulness to the University’s communities for their solidarity and the concern they have shown them at this critical moment.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2022
