College of Natural and Computational Sciences, in collaboration with the Vice-President for Community Engagement and Enterprises Development, and Vice President for Administration and Students Affairs has conducted one-month training for 379 grade 9 -12 students selected from the nearby high schools.
According to Dr. Seleshi Demie, Associate Dean of the College said “The College has been offering such programssince2013to service high school students during the summer.
The 379 outstanding high school students were drawn from West and East Hararghe zonal districts, Harari Regional State, Haramaya University Model School and schools around the University vicinity. The students were given practical training in the field of natural and social sciences: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, ICT, English and mathematics.
Dr. Seleshi added that during the course of the training, the University provided boarding services to the students for about a month in addition to meal, health and other related services. He said, “This program has been a paramount opportunity for cultural exchanges, in addition to the intended lessons. Since the program accepts only those who are outstanding, it has also served as a venue to inculcate competition amongst the students back in the schools where they come from.”
Among the 379 trainees, 297were male, whereas the remaining 82 were females.
One of the trainees, Tsedey Teshome a Grade 12 student from East Hararghe Zone, Deder Secondary School, explained that the training was crucial in filling the gap they had and invoked their interest toward science.
Another trainee, Ayisha Mohammed, Grade 10 student, from Harari Regional State, Aw-Abdal Secondary said that the training has enabled her to get answers to the questions that bothered her mind concerning university life.
Student Sulteyb Afendi from Harari Regional State, Aw-Abdal Secondary Grade 10 student added that this kind of training is so important to increase their interest as a venue to develop a healthy competition amongst students back in the schools they come from.
All candidates appreciated and gave many thanks to the University and indicated that they are happy with the training program and the event has enabled them to get see what university life would be like; as well as obtaining a multitude of knowledge from the training which will enable them to prepare for next level in their further education.