Staring June 2019, a number of state owned and private universities, colleges and higher institutions have been commencing graduation ceremonies and awarding a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for hundred thousand graduates across the country.
Similarly, on July 13, 2019, Harar Agro Technical and Technology College (ATTC) graduated 198 students with BSc Degree in five disciplines in colorful manner on its premises.
Before the official graduation ceremony kicked off, ATTC Chancellor Dr. NegaTolla told The Ethiopian Herald that the College used to train young Ethiopians from all states of the country in the felid of technology (Automotive, Electrical and Electronics, and Metal) and agriculture since 1997 and till late 2005.
Prior to launching BSc applied degree programs in its main fields of technology and Agriculture in 2006, a total of 805 trainees had been graduated with certificates, diplomas, while 900 farmers had been offered tailor-made short term training, he noted.
“Having put into effect the new education and training policy, 3,155 trainees have been so far graduated from the College with Advanced Diploma and BSc degree in Manufacturing, Automotive, Electrical and Electronics Technology, and in Agro
Ecology.”
Regarding the contributions of the college to the nearby communities, the chancellor indicated that several years back, the College handed over Peanut Peeling Machine made by the trainees to the farmers and the machine is still working.
The existing five-year strategic goals of the ATTC will come to an end in 2020 and so applying senior projects in a real world and forming research team would be the principal focus on the upcoming strategic goals in a bid to provide reliable and sustainable community service, Dr. Nega added.
ATTC has been run by Menschen für Menschen Foundation (MfM) and the foundation allocates over 1.5 million Euro as annual budget for the college.
Thus, this reporter approached MfM Board Member Peter Reiner. He said: “Each year the college selects students by exams from all states. The students are so committed to train here in our four Departments. We closely follow the progress of students in each academic year. We support the students to be ambitious. We are adjusting our curriculum from time to time in order to offer state of art education.”
ATTC provides combination of theoretical and practical courses, the practical trainings are about 65 percent and theoretical trainings are about 35 percent, he said adding that the college is so strong on hands–on education and committed to down to earth mentality.
As to him, at this movement, apart from producing graduates that are capable of handling the practical challenges in technical institutions, the country needs people with strong theoretical background.
Taking about the future plan of ATTC, Reiner said the college is going to set up new strategy for further modernizing each department via adjusting the curriculum in terms of introducing some training courses on economics.
“If someone is going to establish small business after graduation, he /she will need to have economic background and base on how to run small business. We will soon start offering summer economics courses. ATTC is going to set up a certain kind of community network within the next one and half year so former graduates and the students can easily communicate and exchange information regarding small business and other activities.”
Regarding ATTC‘s experience sharing activities, he said the college is coordinating with Addis Ababa, Adama, Haramaya, Dire Dawa and Jigjiga universities in terms of supporting the efforts to offer demand driven education.
Speaking of this year’s graduates, Reiner said they have strong comment to practical work which is demanded routinely by the whole world. “Ethiopia is now on transformation setting up industrial parks so people we are training here are highly demanded. Every graduate knows that he /she will have job after graduation.”
Electric and Electronic Technology Department Head .E.Jayaraj said his department offers two specializations one in power and control and other one communication and electronics. “As you see the students are displaying their senior project work which is one of the requirements for graduation.
GPS and GSM Based Vehicle Theft Detector, Density Based Traffic Light Controller by Arduino, Solar Powered Automatic Irrigation System, among others, are on display. We are trying to make our trainees industry ready candidates through making balance between theory and practice.”
Out of this year’s graduates of ATTC, 53 are females. The college graduated 37 in Animal Production, 34 in Crop Production, 68 in Electric and Electronic Technology, 32 in Automotive Technology and 27 students in Manufacturing Technology.
ATTC currently accommodates 731 students from every corner of Ethiopia, is the only college that MfM foundation runs covering all expenses for the students.
MfM foundation is non- religious and non- government international organization founded by the late Karlheinz Bom mainly operating integrated rural development projects such as education, health, sustainable land management, WASH and human development in a very rural areas of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Herald July 23/2019
BY BEYENE D.
