Haramaya University to fight ignorance and poverty

“A quality education grants us the ability to fight the war on ignorance and poverty”-Charles Rangel.

Haramaya University Academic Assessment and Quality Assurance Directorate in Collaboration with the office of Vice President for Academic Affairs organized a Capacity Building Training for middle-level educational leaders on March 7, 2023 on the topic “Enhancing the Quality of Education at Higher Education”

The training was given by Dr. Assefa Beyene from the Ethiopian Civil Service University, who is well experienced in giving such training.

Professor Mengistu Urge, Vice President for Academic Affairs, said at his training opening remarks that quality education is a foundation for the development of the country, as a country which has quality education can grow faster and ensure a high level of social, cultural and economic development. Concerning Ethiopia, one can say that education in Ethiopia is facing a quality problem at all levels, therefore, the government and the employers are worried about the deteriorating quality of education, according to professor Mengistu.

Professor Mengistu added that the quality of education is a must-to-do job at all levels of education, and we have to show our readiness to support the policy in place to reverse education quality problems in Ethiopia.

Dr. Garkebo Basha, Academic Assessment and Quality Assurance Directorate Director, in his welcoming speech said that the training is a capacity building training for department heads, program coordinators and other people in similar positions, and it is the part of the training for higher and middle-level managements, which was started two years ago.

The main focus of the training is to create awareness and clarify about the meaning of quality, quality education and how to assure quality education, as well as discuss the conceptual frameworks, according to Dr, Garkebo. In addition, Dr. Garkebo requested all concerned bodies to assure quality education by working cooperatively as a system.

Professor Jeylan Woliyie, Vice President for Administration and Student Affairs, said at his training closing remark that the issue of quality education is not only the issue of the institutions but also the issue of the country’s existence, so it must be given a serious attention from all stakeholders. For the future, to assure quality education, responsibility and accountability assuring mechanisms should be prepared and implemented, according to professor Jeylan.

At the end of the training, the trainees asked questions and reflected thoughts and appreciations for the training organizers and the trainers and they pointed out that, to ensure the intended quality education, it should be intensively worked on raising the teachers’ awareness concerning their responsibilities, skills of how to transfer knowledge; the course credit hour fulfillment; and the infrastructure and technology equipment for the teachers.