The University announces that it has launched SNBSS by receiving 77 students Haramaya University announces that it has launched a Special Non-Boarding Secondary School (HUSNBSS) in its main campus in February 2021 by receiving seventy seven (77) grade 9 students from districts in Eastern Hararge Zone, who were high scorers at the last year’s grade 8th ministry exam.
Professor Mengistu Urge, vice president for academic affairs and a delegate for the University president, said that depending on the directions and advice from Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MOSHE) and Oromia Regional State Government, special non boarding secondary school has been established in the University’s main campus in this academic year (2013 EC).
According to Professor Menigstu, the objective of opening the special non boarding secondary school is to provide a quality education for highly talented students who scored high in the last year’s grade 8th Ministry exam and who were able to pass the entrance exam prepared by Oromia Regional Education bureau. This is expected to support an effort by the government to improve the quality of Education and enhance the university’s ability to expand its outreach services to community children. The school teaches the students by synchronizing theory with practice as stipulated in their syllabuses. Learning in the special school is vital in helping the students to exploit and increase their talents which in turn will contribute to the country’s need to produce an advanced scientist and specialists who will achieve a great deal for themselves as well as their country said Professor Mengistu.
Professor Mengistu added that, currently the school has started its teaching-learning processes in the University’s Sport Academy vacant classes, and in a near future its own separate and standard school will be built in the premises of the main campus. The University is providing free Education, necessary Educational materials and free lunch for the students based on the manual sent from Oromia Region Education Bureau which was used as a blue print to establish the school.
Mr. Ahmed Dedo (Assistant Professor), the director of the school, in his turn said that, we have received seventy seven (77) students ( of which 17 are females) from different districts in East Harerge zone, and the students are selected based on criteria prepared by Oromia Regional Education bureau which requires each of the students having excellent English , Mathematics and Afan Oromo subject results in their grade 7 and 8 transcripts as well as grade 8 regional examination and passing regional level entrance exam.
The teaching-learning process has started two months ago and the final exam is approaching, the students’ performance is incredible and improving time to time. The qualifications of the teachers that were employed are all master degree holders except two of them, and this contributes to provide quality education to the students. The school has a new library, an ICT laboratory, classrooms and well equipped offices for the teachers which are all contributing towards creating quality students. For this year, the school has started from grade nine (9) and it will admit grade nine students every year and in the meantime our school will have students up to grade twelve (12). Mr. Ahmed added that the University is going to provide school Uniform, two for each of the students, and it is on the purchasing process. Over all, apart from salaries for teachers and supportive staffs and students’ lunch service, the university has spent more than 6 million birr to furnish a library, an ICT Lab, offices and classrooms along with the necessary books, computers and furniture.
Mr. Awol Haji Wado, an ICT teacher, said that “first of all I want to extend my thanks for those concerned bodies who facilitated in establishing the special secondary school in the University, because we did not get this kind of opportunity when we were students. This is very nice advantage for the students”. Mr. Awol added that, the students’ interest to learn and their learning capacity in relation to ICT is very appreciable, the school infrastructures are full and interesting, computers and students ratio is one to one in the ICT laboratory. For the other laboratory needs, the students are using laboratories found in the university, until the school will establish its own full laboratories, in the new school which will be built soon” said Mr. Awol.
Ermiyas Fasil, Latera Fikadu and other grade 9th students said that, “In this special school ICT, Library, Laboratories, the teachers’ quality, all infrastructures are fully equipped and the way the teaching-learning system is going on is very interesting and it motivates us to work hard and to exploit our minds. In Addition, we get our lunch in the campus cafeteria which makes us to feel like our home.” The students lastly explain their gratitude to the wonderful all rounded service in the HU Special Non Boarding Secondary school and to all concerned participants in the realization of the school.