BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
The government of Ethiopia has been executing various activities with the aim of improving education quality, producing citizens equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and critical thinking thereby realizing the targets set to the education sector,
As a result, over the years the country has seen remarkable progress in terms of expanding primary schools and universities in all states and increasing access to education through the country. Consecutively, primary school enrolment rate has seen significant improvement even though ensuring education quality remains one of the biggest challenges facing the sector.
Understanding the seriousness of the issue, since recent times, numerous measures that are instrumental to ensure quality educations, have been exercised. For instance, offering high school leaving exams at the universities instead of at schools’ premises was taken as remedy to curb the trend of theft and fraud and improve the quality of education.
Similarly, more efforts are exerted in expanding special boarding schools across the country to enabling top performing students utilize their full potential, equip and prepare them for their future and improve education quality. Consequently, the beginnings are demonstrating promising results.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Oromia Development Association Director General Dejene Iticha said that the association is working to ensure quality education and produce skilled human capital that could fit the quality of international human power demand.
The Education Bureau is evaluating the progress and performance of the boarding schools and oversees activities as per the set standards. Education standards and facilities in Oromia Special Boarding schools are improving year in, year out and, the number of students joining international acclaimed higher education institutions is growing. He further noted that the Association is working in partnership with Oromia Education Bureau and other pertinent stakeholders at large to ensure quality education.
Oromia Special Boarding School and special schools Directorate Director Desta Hailu noted that it is a unique opportunity for students to nurture their talents, empower and make them competent, as lifelong learners, to participate in nation building. According to him, as of now, there are nine special boarding schools and 33 special schools running in the State.
The Bureau is striving to provide education in a manner meeting international standards and offers internationally accepted exams. At the same time, the schools are providing language education like Chinese, Arabic, English, as per their preference. English is the common medium of instruction.
“Apart from the formal learning teaching process, the schools also let learners engage in extracurricular programs to familiarize students and teachers coming from a wide range of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds with the cultures values and norms of others to cultivate diversity through various sports and cultural events” he added.
“Our boarding schools are open to everyone; one can join regardless of his/her ethnic and religious background. Most of the facilities are equipped with state of the art amenities including classrooms, laboratories, digital libraries, meeting hall, administrative offices, dormitories, cafeteria, sport fields, water supply and sanitation, electricity, toilets, and waste disposal system.”
Most of the students are scoring higher grades and are joining internationally acclaimed higher education institutions through scholarships and other approaches. As to him, there are students who have performed well and pursuing their education in the higher education institutions of South Korea, Türkiye, America and Canada at various fields.
The State also accepts students through scholarship programs, and now there are students coming from Addis Ababa, Harere and Amhara states among others.“Oromia Education Bureau is committed in strengthening further the quality of education and increasing the number of boarding schools.”
Oromia Special Boarding School Bishoftu Branch Director Tadesse Dugassa for his part said that the School is striving to ensure quality education. “We are committed to support the students as per the set rules and regulations. Each student’s education and extracurricular activities are well tracked; and students with less academic performance record will go under serial of tutorial programs. The special boarding school is striving to be one of the centers of excellence in producing skilled and knowledgeable posterity.”
Wolaita Liqa Secondary School Principal Matusala Gona for his part said that the School provides boarding service for beneficiaries of both Wolaita Development Association (WODA) and students with cost sharing program.
The School admits students from all parts of Ethiopia who are top achievers and could pass the entrance exam. It one of the best school in Southern Ethiopia and follows Activity Based Learning (ABL) teaching and learning model through employing ICT, and Science Laboratories.
The School is working to ensure quality education and to be one of the excellence hubs; and contribute to the human development efforts of the nation. Students of 2022 Academic Year have scored higher; and 60 boys and 15 girls have joined higher education. The school has many students graduated from domestic and international colleges.
“Though we want to increase the number of students, we could not make it because of budget strains, we call on stakeholders to extend support,” he opined. According to him, Wolaita Liqa Secondary School operates under Wolaita Development Association. The School is working in collaboration with Wolaita Administration and Wolaita Sodo University under a range of platforms to undo the challenges.
Dessie Boarding School Principal Belete Desse for his part said that the school was opened in 2018 by admitting grade nine students. These students, taking the national exam in 2022, have registered the highest score of the nation. It was Dessie Boarding School that recorded the highest marks.
The Boarding School has 300 students’ of which 205 are boys and 95 girls; and all scored higher points. Mikiyas Adane is one of the students who scored the highest score; 666 out of seven hundred, recording 100 marks in both physics and mathematics subjects.
“In my view, boarding schools could play vital role in ensuring quality education. The Ministry of Education and other stakeholders should work on devising strategy to expand boarding schools in accordance with the standards of international boarding schools,” he remarked. “Wollo University is providing support to the school in teaching and learning; as well equipping laboratories and the library, we are grateful for its commitment,” he added
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2023
