COUNTRY REPORT: ETHIOPIA
by
Margret Schermutzki
Pieter Boele van Hensbroek
1.Introduction
The Ethiopian education sector is currently undergoing a major transition, reforming established educational institutions as well as initiating new ones.
Addis Ababa University (AAU) is the chief national institution of Higher Education (HE) with a long and prestigious history. Along with six other universities, it constitutes the core of the established HE system.
The government reform policies for the HE sector involve a number of innovations, the paramount ones being: 1) an immense expansion of the HE sector with the establishment of many new institutions and considerably increased student intake; 2) a shift of focus towards engineering-related programmes.
The reform also involves the setting-up of new institutions to boost the reform. The most important one is the Engineering Capacity Building Programme (ECBP) which implies the participation of various ministries and pioneers striving for increased engineering capacity at all levels of education. The shift of emphasis towards Engineering is symbolised by the government decision to allocate 70% of new students to engineering-related faculties and institutions.
Other changes may be noted, such as the mounting importance of national policies, resulting in the limitation of scope for autonomous decision-making by established institutions like the AAU.
Another alteration would be the involvement of foreign (especially German) experts in the management of educational institutions, and, for instance, the formulation of standardised Bachelor curricula in a number of fields.
The various trends and changes will be discussed below. This report will firstly provide an overview of the situation in the Ethiopian HE sector, and then focus on aspects especially relevant for the feasibility assessment of initiatives involving the methodology of Tuning.
The revolutionary objectives for the educational sector of the post-1994 governments were formulated already in the 1994 document “The Education and Training Policy and its Implementation” (updated 2002). The aims of a radical change of the whole educational system, in order to make it accessible and relevant for society, were enunciated there. The policies for HE which have been formulated since, elaborate and concretise these objectives (for instance the “Educational Sector Development Programme 1996 – 2005”).
The “Engineering Capacity Building Programme Five-Year Strategic Plan 2006-2010” is a mile-stone in this elaboration process. A policy of radically increased access and a focus on engineering is devised here for the technical and vocational training level, to Polytechnic level and University level. It guides the implementation at six major Technical Universities and Institutes of Technology as well as the establishment of a number of new ones (the six: Institute of Textile Engineering (IoTex, in Bahir Dar), Institute of Science and Technology (JIT, in Jimma), Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development (EiABC, in Addis Ababa), the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology (AAIT), the Adama University (AU), and the Tigray Institute of Technology (TIT, in Mekelle)).
The ECBP also contains a major curriculum design and standardisation process involving the design of 93 curricula at BSc and MSc levels in Engineering.
Other institutions at the national level are equally relevant for this process: The Higher Education Strategy Centre (HESC) plays a primary role in curriculum development exercises. The National Agency for Quality and Relevance Assurance (HERQA) has been established as a semi-autonomous agency which will be accrediting educational programmes in the future. The foundation of HESC and HERQA coincides with the introduction of policies for modularisation of educational programmes, the reform of the credit system and adjustment of the number of study years per study programme (see discussion below).
These and other changes underscore the influence which government policy enacts upon educational reform. This, at least temporarily, reduces the autonomy of teaching institutions. Students and staff, for instance, are allocated to teaching institutions by government. However, the expressed long-term policy of government is to grant a considerable degree of autonomy to teaching institutions again.
Established educational institutions face considerable changes due to the shift in focus to Engineering and Natural Sciences. Several departments have had no student intake in the present academic year, whereas engineering faculties have increased their intake substantially. Again, because of the establishment of new teaching institutions on Engineering, there is an added need to train teachers for these new institutes, paralleling a need to increase the levels of capacity of existing staff and the need to provide engineers for the labour market.
A strong interest in curriculum reform is evident, both from university staff and management as well as from government-related institutions. Such perceived need for reforms results from considerations concerning quality assurance, staff and student mobility, and increased societal relevance.
From this perspective there could be a role for Tuning as a possible approach to curriculum reform. Similarly, the requirement of international mobility, cross-border recognition of degrees, and expansion of international collaborative study programmes is emphasised. This need appears to be more clearly expressed by university leadership and policy-makers than by teaching staff. Also, for all parties, reforms and innovations in the national context were considered to be of greater relevance than at the regional level, and these again as more relevant than at the continental level.
Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa with an estimated population of 86 million people. It has a unique ancient history and has never been colonized. There are more than 80 local languages spoken in the country and Amharic is the working language of the government. English is the medium of instruction in secondary and higher education (Higher Education Proclamation No. 650/2009 Art. 20).
In 1991, Ethiopia changed from a socialist structure to a market-based system. As a result, the government mapped out certain strategies to reform all public sectors including the education sector. Ethiopia is radically expanding its higher education sector: from two public universities just over a decade ago to 22, and another 10 to open soon. Even though the percentage of the available cohort attending higher education is still below 3%, the number of students has doubled and is expected to double again.
1.1Policies in the Higher Education Sector
The Ethiopian government sees higher education as an important plank in its strategy for social and economic development. In 2010, the Ministry of Education (MoE) allotted the large amount of eight billion Birr to the construction of ten new universities in the country. It is planned to complete the construction within three to four years.
Massification of HE has led the ministry to develop new types of institutions as greater efficiency became necessary.
An experimental for EthiopianUniversity development, AdamaUniversity, has been implemented. It is being managed by Germans, and mainly focuses on training students in engineering, technology and applied sciences. The institution originates from a technical teacher training college and retains this specialism while focusing on economic development and university-enterprise cooperation according to the German system of Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen).
The German leadership of the university owns a far-ranging mandate. Concerning the implementation of Tuning, the leadership made it clear that they deemed this not feasible because of more urgent worries about quantity and quality of staff and need of actual implementation of policies and already in place.
Currently, the government has reached a 59:41% ratio, natural versus social sciences. It plans to turn the ratio into 70:30%, natural sciences constituting the larger share of 70%. Private higher Education has also increased as a part of general liberalisation. (Tamene Binyam, Ethiopian News 08.08.2010).
Public universities are established by regulation of the Council of Ministers.
The Ethiopian government passed legislations to give universities more autonomy (Higher Education Proclamation No.650/2009) in the development and implementation of relevant curricula and research programmes; the creation of new or closure of existing programmes; setting up of its organisational structure and enactment and implementation of its internal rules and procedures (Article 17). The change from a distinctly top-down into a bottom-up process may still need to start and will be a learning process for the universities and for the ministry. The reform of the legal regulations is also still in process.
1.1.1Educations system in Ethiopia
The structure of the Ethiopian education system
Pre-higher education
Duration of compulsory education: from 6-14 years of age. The structure of the school system: primary (6-14 years of age, 8 years), first cycle secondary/general secondary (14-16 years of age, 2 years) - certificate/diploma awarded if passing the Ethopian General School Leaving Certificate Examination, second cycle secondary (16-18 years of age, 2 years) - certificate/diploma awarded if passing the Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination (EHEEE), Technical School and Junior College (16-19 years of age, 3 years), Vocational School and Junior College (16 to 19 years of age, 3 years) (TVET) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
HEIs offer programmes leading to Bachelor's Degree (BA/BSc), three to four years of study; Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), degree, five years of study; Master’s Degree (MA/MSc) - two more years of study or medical or other professional speciality - three more years of study; Doctorate Degree (PhD) - three years beyond Master’s Degree or its equivalent; or any other degree that may be determined by the academic senate (Article 1).
HEIs institutions include universities and university colleges, colleges and institutes (article 9). Public HEIs adhere to the regulations of the council of ministry and rely on public funding.
According to the higher education proclamation (part 2 article 17), HEIs are autonomous, promising academic freedom (article 16). This means that management of universities has to adopt a new system and articulate its own requirements to retain autonomy. Government expressed the intention to let go of control while ensuring accountability. The President of the university is appointed by the Minister or by the head of the appropriate state organ. (Art. 52)
A Higher Education Strategy Center (HESC) and a Higher Education Relevance and Quality Agency (HERQA) were implemented to assist MOE to handle the growing HEI sector (article 89 and 90). A cost sharing scheme for public HEIs in terms of deferred graduate tax was provided (Article 62). The HERQA was also set up to assure the quality of the system.
1.1.2Establishment of a National Qualifications Framework in Ethiopia(ENQF)
At present, there only exist very limited connections between different education sectors, between different universities inside and outside of Ethiopia. Following the development of the Ethiopian TVET Qualifications Framework (ETQF) in 2006, the Ministry of Education prioritises the development of the Ethiopian National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education, ENQF.
A taskforce was established to develop an ENQF document consultative. The ENQF taskforce was requested to consider how best to harmonise and/or rationalise qualification systems, while also regulating standards of knowledge, skills and competences by defining qualification levels with descriptors based on learning outcomes. Consultations and discussions with relevant stakeholders took place, identifying generic descriptors for each cycle based on learning outcomes and competences, and credit ranges. A draft consultation document was prepared and discussed with the ministry.
More consultation processes and level and qualifications descriptors are under way. A three-cycle system was introduced. It relates to years and not to credits (like in Europe).
Highest priority is given to the development of first-cycle degrees in natural sciences and engineering.
1.1.3Engineering capacity building program (ecbp)
Pursuing the ambitious plan to reform HE in the country, the Engineering Capacity Building Programme (ECBP) has two main objectives: the design and construction of 13 public universities and modernisation of Ethiopia’s construction sector.
Since 2005 the ecpb – an Ethiopian programme guided and implemented through the Ethiopian Ministries of CapacityBuilding, Trade, Industries and Education- supported by the German Development Cooperation -, has been working nationwide to improve the country's competitiveness and to promote employability.
Beside others ecbp focuses on the reform of universities’ engineering fields as these have always been the driving force behind industrial development. Ecbp assists technology faculties of universities to revise the curricula and to train students and teachers of the vocational training system, carrying out the universities governance and management reforms, Human resource development, promoting linkages between universities and industries and developing the infrastructure.
Major impacts are the revised curricula in all engineering faculties to move Ethiopia closer to international standards and prepare graduates better for the labour market, do market-orientated research and raise the quality of teaching, research and international exchange. The ecbp is supporting the development of the Institutes of Technology as a result of the government decision 70/30. They support the institutions by introducing new study programmes, competence-based learning as well as teaching and assessment methods, recognition of competences and the introduction of a credit point system.
Therefore ECBP could support a Tuning survey and the introduction of Tuning very well.
1.2Curriculum development
1.2.1Design and re-design of curricula
Proclamation No. 650/2009, Art. 21, includes methods of curriculum design, delivery and assessment of learning outcomes at any institution. The curriculum development is based on learning outcomes that enable learners to become competent professionals. All institutions should have a framework for the methodology of developing curricula. Common curricula may be jointly developed through the participation of the public institutions responsible for their implementation; such curricula shall serve as the minimum requirements. The ministry may coordinate curricula development.
1.2.2Entrance requirements for students
Public HEIs do not have the power to select their students, this is undertaken by government. Students are allocated according to their final grades on the national entrance examination (Art 39). In most cases students with good grades can enter public HEIs. Only in architecture additional entrance examinations have to be passed.
For second degree levels/graduate studies, the institutions have the right and the responsibility to admit candidates who have completed their undergraduate studies with the academic results required by the institution;
For doctoral programmes, candidates need to have second level degrees and excellent academic results as required by the institution.
1.2.3Description of the approach to employability
Study programmes are presented to and discussed by employers and graduates every year in workshops organised by the universities. However, there still exists a lack of information concerning employers’ and stakeholders' requirements and assessments of the curriculum, teaching and learning and assessment methods.
A survey of Kate Ashford (Ethiopia: Dilemmas of higher education massification, Issue: 0061) found that employers consistently emphasised the need for graduates who display self-confidence, initiative, inquisitiveness and creativity. The sharp increase of students numbers in the fields of engineering and natural sciences and the tendency to rely on traditional teaching methods may fail the needs of the market, thus increasing the danger of unemployment.
So far, there are only a few market studies in Ethiopia to identify employment needs. In order to provide empirical evidence regarding the professional relevance of their study programmes, graduate tracer studies are under development and are supported by the German institute INCHER (Internationales Zentrum für Hochschulforschung) for East Africa, in which staff of AAU participates.
Such a study could be connected to a survey on the relevance of subject-related and generic competences as executed in Tuning.
1.2.4Analysing resources
Quality of staff involved in curriculum development
More students than ever are enrolled in higher learning institutions. In the last five years there has been a 137% increase. Government institutions have enrolled about 185,788 students working towards degrees this year.
As the number of students has increased, so has the number of teachers. The number of university instructors and lecturers has skyrocketed to 17,064, according to the country's Ministry of Education’s report.
Only 11,238 are currently teaching, while others are pursuing their education. Out of this, half or around 5700 of the teachers, only have a Bachelor in their respective field. Masters degrees are held by 4,528 and 1,004 have a PhD.
Due to the quality level of teachers, there is a problem of developing new study programmes (as analysed in reports on introducing Agriculture in AdamaUniversity). Very often study programmes are being developed through "copy and paste" of other universities' study programmes and they are not related to international standards.
Other study infrastructure:
Student access to computers was reported to be limited. Students did not obtain the relevant information about their curricula, hand-outs from many lectures were not available, laboratory facilities were practically non-existent, and libraries were lacking many books urgently needed to prepare lectures.
1.2.5Development and use of core curricula/benchmarks/reference points
A curriculum development and a curriculum benchmark process is advised by HERQA.
In engineering study programmes all technical institutions were asked to develop a curriculum for the first level of studies. A group of experts were invited from all engineering universities. Several meetings took place. An agreement on the core elements and the intended learning outcomes was reached through consensus. A curriculum was then developed including blue prints for the area of undergraduate level of engineering studies.
The results were presented back to the universities and to the relevant stakeholders like employers and graduates and discussed again.
The resulting draft is now available for the universities.
Enhancing and guaranteeing the quality of curricula is considered an important issue by all parties interviewed in the feasibility study. The Tuning methodology, which involves the collective elaboration of reference points for programmes could be helpful here.