After 1974, Ethiopia started reformation on education and increasing literacy. The main challenges are intake of teachers, the quality and professionalism of the faculty and staff, as well as the institution structure and school purpose. With all of this work, Ethiopia in higher education has grown from a couple public universities, to 22 universities. Their hope is to bring 10 more universities in the future. The numbers of students into these universities have doubled and will continue to increase again this way again. But this growth within the school system can make financial problems worsen and will decrease the academics.- Prior to 1974, Ethiopia had an estimated illiteracy rate well above 90% and compared poorly with the rest of Africa in the provision of schools and universities. After the 1974 revolution, emphasis was placed on increasing literacy in rural areas.
- Ethiopia is moving very rapidly from an elite towards a mass public sector higher education system. The considerable challenges raised by 'massification' include teaching quality, funding, the need for a more professionalized leadership, staff shortages and institutional structure and mission. The operation of the Ethiopian system, where innovation is highly centralized, also makes local responsiveness difficult.
- The country's higher education sector has grown from two public universities just over a decade ago to 22 today with another 10 due to open soon.
- The number of students in each university has doubled and is expected to double again. Private higher education has also increased as part of a general liberalization of part of the economy.
- The expansion of a university system can lead to financial constraints and deteriorating conditions of study.
- The Ethiopian system struggles to achieve more graduates without a noticeable loss of quality. The Higher Education Relevance and Quality Agency (HERQA) was set up to assure the quality of the system.
“Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling”- The net enrollment ratio in 1991 was estimated to be 24.0. in 2004 is was 51.2, and in 2008 it was 79.0. due to the financial strain on Ethiopia it is very hard to provide the educational needs for the children. The numbers are going but need to continue to go up. (UN).
Source: "Education-Ethiopia." Encyclopedia of the Nations. Encyclopedia of the Nations, 08 27 2007. Web. 13 Nov 2010, except where indicated.
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