Addis Ababa University (AAU) launched Research on Improving Systems of Education Ethiopia (2017-2022) Dissemination Workshop at Hilton Addis Hotel today, 15^th of December 2022.

Professor Tassew Weldehanna, President of AAU, said on his welcoming address that RISE Program believes that transformational enhancement on education is attainable if a certain system is built to sustain political and societal commitment to universal mastery of foundational skills.

Education systems have been tremendously successful at achieving specific educational goals, such as expanding schooling by the adoption of the five key actions, Prof. Tassew indicated.

The five key actions, according to Prof. Tassew, are commitment to universal early foundational learning, measuring learning regularly (reliably and relevantly), alignment of systems, supporting teaching, and adopting by creating space as well as capacity for doing research to local problems in order to achieve system transformation for the promotion of learning.

The President noted that the Research on Improving Systems of Education Ethiopia research findings point to the five key actions as ideal means to chart a path out of the learning crises and toward a future that renders foundational skills to all children.

“RISE Ethiopia has been undertaking extensive researches on education with the aim to comprehend and examine the General Education Quality Improvement Programme for Equity (GEQIP-E) which is a large scale government-donor program design to boost the quality of education in Ethiopia,” Prof. Tassew mentioned.

Fenta Mandefro, State Minister of General Education at Ministry of Education (MoE), on the occasion said that RISE Ethiopia in collaboration with MoE started five years ago assessing the implementation of (GEQIP-E) in which quality and system improvement are the key components of the program.

The State Minister said, “It is our sincere hope that the research has explored key issues and has come up with key findings as well as recommendations that synergize our reform agendas and shade light on policy issues.”

Fanta added stated the Ministry will carefully look at and reflect on the findings in relation to the policy directions of the Ethiopian Government and its reform agenda of Policy recommendations. It does not produce the desired impact alone as resource is a key factor in this regard and it calls all stakeholders and donors to mobilize the huge resource required to transform the education system, he added.

Belay Hagos (PhD), from IER-AAU and RISE team member, said in an interview that in the research conducted by him, he explained that it is necessary to ensure students learn properly and acquire the appropriate knowledge as well as skills, and that they possess behavioural changes for the success of their learning a. “Just moving students from class to class does not lead to academic success,” he added.

Dr. Belay stressed that the focus of the education system should be on expanding access to education, and ensuring that children acquire the necessary knowledge on the basis that everyone concerned with success working together.

Reporter: Theodros Shewangizaw

Photo: Fikremariam Beyene

Editor: Abraham Girmay