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His Excellency Prof. Berhanu Nega, Minister of the Ministry of Education visited Wollega University

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Category: Respected Professor Birhanu Nega E. Federal Minister of Education Minister and senior officials of the minister had a discussion with the community of Wollega University

Published on Monday, 10 March 2025 06:29

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His Excellency Prof. Berhanu Nega, Minister of the Ministry of Education visited Wollega University

Dr Tesfaye Lemma, Acting President of Wollega University (WU) warmly welcomed Prof. Berhanu Nega, Minister of the Ministry of Education (MoE) of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) along with other high-level officials at Gudina Tumsa Airport. During a discussion forum at the university, Dr. Tesfaye Lemma, the President of WU, and Dr. Geleta Gemechu, the Director of the Internationalization Directorate, presented highlights about the current status of the university.

 The Minister, in turn, shared a personal memory, stating that he had visited the region 50 years ago in 1967, when he was involved in the ‘Idiget Behibiret Zemecha’ (secondary school educational campaign) in Haru, West Wollega Zone. He expressed his happiness at returning to Nekemte after half a century. The Minister also emphasized that it has become a regular practice for the Ministry of Education to visit universities facing significant challenges to assess and provide interventions. He attributed the delay in visiting WU to security concerns but praised the relative peace now prevailing in the region.

Report on University Challenges:Mr. Solomon, a representative from the Ministry of Education, presented a report outlining the findings from the Ministry's supervision team and an audit of the university. The report highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of the university.

 Key weaknesses identified in the report included:

 Incompletion of several projects due to administrative issues and security.

• A lack of research focused on solving practical problems affecting the surrounding community.
• Problems with preparing students for exit exams.
• Persistent water shortages and hygiene-related issues.
• Procurement problems and illegal payments to daily laborers.
• Improper disposal of waste materials.

In response to the findings, the Minister acknowledged that the Ministry was aware of many of the university's challenges. He emphasized that actions had already been initiated to address these issues. However, he also expressed concern about the growing "localization" of universities, which he believed was contributing to broader systemic problems. He noted that universities should have a universal mindset, not one limited to regional concerns. The Minister further criticized the growing trend of university instructors being distracted by social media and listening to local armed groups rather than focusing on research and addressing the country's pressing problems. He also pointed out that cheating during examinations had become normalized in many institutions, which undermined the quality of education.

 He stressed the need for better prioritization of university projects. Instead of focusing on large construction projects, such as auditoriums and stadiums, universities should prioritize equipping laboratories and other essential facilities to enhance the teaching and learning process. He also pointed out that many universities had excess staff, and that inefficiency in human resources was a critical issue, particularly in a country with limited resources. He cited the example of instructors in some universities who were only teaching one course per semester, yet still receiving a full salary.

Participants raised several important concerns during the discussion. Some highlighted the low salaries of university staff, which were insufficient to cover basic needs. Others raised issues regarding accountability, asking who was responsible for the problems at the university and what measures would be taken to address them. Questions were also raised about the relevance of the current curriculum. Participants asked whether the curriculum prepared students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical settings or merely created job dependents rather than job creators.

In response to these concerns, the Minister, Prof. Berhanu Nega and Mr Solomon assured the participants that the Ministry was committed to addressing these issues. The Minister reiterated that the Ministry was actively working on improving the quality of education and reforming the university system.