Category: Education

The Addis Ababa University School Law commemorated its Alumnae Convention and 60th Anniversary of its founding in the presence of government higher officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court and various institutions on the 23rd of September 2023. Established on 23rd September 1963, Addis Ababa University school of Law is the oldest law school in Ethiopia, pioneering in legal education in both undergraduate and graduate levels. The Law School was established with a mission to produce competent, ethical and responsible profession who can actively contribute towards the prevalence of the rule of law, equality, human rights, democracy, social justice, tolerance and development. The basis for the establishment of the Faculty of Law was laid down by the momentous decision to codify the laws of Ethiopia gave rise to the need of trained lawyers who could understand, interpret, and apply them.

Speaking on the convocation of the former Haile Selassie I University in 1961, the late Emperor Haile Selassie said, “We would ask for the immediate founding of a Faculty of law where our own students may be trained to enter the legal profession. Our empire has need, its government and its commerce for well-educated lawyers and particularly for those who have been trained in their own university, in their own codes and customs.”

The author of this article recalls that the completion of the codification of the laws of the country from 1951-1952 and the consequent issuance of the 1954 Revised Constitution backed up the establishment of such a school for training qualified legal experts. The writer notes that for 40 years out of 60 Addis Ababa University Faculty of Law was the only higher institute for training legal professionals in the country.

Over the last several decades the Law School was engaged in its flagship publication, Journal of Ethiopian Law. Nonetheless, the School was also publishing thematic research publications including Ethiopian Constitutional and Public Law, Ethiopian Civil and Commercial Law series and international law research papers on major contemporary local and global policy and legal issues are debated on regular annual conferences.

As part of its legal social services, the School is running 6 legal aid centers to provide general free legal services to local community members. Out of the 6 one center is reportedly dedicated to providing free legal services for refugees and asylum seekers.

Addis Ababa University School of Law Library established in 1964 boasts one of the finest collections of over 30,000 periodicals, reference books, over 10,000 e-books on law journals and dissertations. To date, the School of Law has graduated more than 6000 highly skilled legal professions who are currently serving in various government institutions.

Over the last several years the author recalls that members of the Law School have been participating in the legal reform programs the government undertaken. The professionals and scholars of the Law School are also networking with Justice and Legal Systems Institute. As stated by several speakers on the occasion, the author is of the opinion that the administrative autonomy granted to the Addis Ababa University could be exploited by the School of Law to further promote the prevalence of quality and practical legal education in the university.

The celebration of the 60th anniversary of the School of Law is of significant importance at a time when Addis Ababa University granted its autonomy very recently. The autonomy status is also crucial in accelerating the growth and development of the school in its aspiration to become a preeminent center of excellence for legal education and scholarship in the changing global, regional and national order, he noted.

The Addis Ababa University Law School can also serve as a unique center for the improvement of legal education in other public universities across the country by establishing projects that are geared towards building the capacity of the legal schools in these universities.

The Law School can assist in developing some kind of public legal education program in cooperation with CSOs and professional associations in the country. This is important because a huge gap is being observed in public adherence to the rule of law, conception of their constitutional rights and obligations as citizens.

The Law School provides lectures and seminars in English and new students are on several occasions challenged by their inability to comprehend legal concepts in their proper context. The author holds the opinion that legalistic English needs to be taught as a full course particularly for under graduate students who may also need extensive tutorial classes. This could be supplemented with practical knowledge with orientations on the practical legal technical application of the laws of the country at the various levels of courts of law.

The author would also like to stress on the growing significance of conducting researches on important legal issues pertaining to the protection of the environment, natural resources of the country, cyber-attacks, computer crimes and other crimes related to the modernization of the socio-economic development of the country.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

During the current regional workshops on the green hydrogen scholarship, several Kunene residents have expressed their concerns, urging reconsideration of the stipulated criteria, which they believe disadvantage them from a marginalised standpoint.

The region’s inhabitants called on the donors to lower their set standards during the green hydrogen workshop presentation on Friday at Opuwo, which was conducted by the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL).

They said the current criteria put them at a disadvantage as the majority of the youth haven’t attained what is required and the region currently has no higher institutions, thus affecting them.

Opuwo Urban Constituency Councillor Ueutjerevi Ngunaihe echoed this sentiment, calling for criteria reductions for the benefit of the least affluent from traditionally disadvantaged groups.

“Because the region was chosen for this project, I would like to request that these scholarships begin at level one to benefit Kunene’s marginalised communities. It would be ideal if we could lessen the criteria to benefit the communities where the initiative will be launched,” he said.

Namibia, with its enormous renewable energy resources, was selected as an entrant.

In 2021, Namibia and the German government reached an agreement to provide grant assistance for the development of Namibia’s green hydrogen sector with 5 million Euro allocated for bursaries for Namibian youth who qualify for various programmes.

Furthermore, Ngunaihe advised those meeting the criteria to apply since this provides life-long potential for the Kunene Region’s inhabitants.

The Youth for Green Hydrogen scholarship programme, developed in conjunction with the German government, focuses on four regions: Kunene, Erongo, Hardap, ||Kharas, and the Erongo Region.

The Namibian government has issued a second call for master degree and technical, vocational education and training (TVET) applications for Namibian youth.

Namibians between the ages of 18 and 35 are eligible for the scholarship. The master’s degree should emphasise applied science, renewable energy systems, logistics, and supply chain management.

Trades such as boilermaking, bricklaying, plastering, plumbing and pipe-fitting, welding and metal fabrication, solar and wind energy system installation and maintenance, and business services should be covered in TVET courses.

More than 1 000 youths applied during the first call, and 93 were chosen.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The International Peace Support Training Institute (IPSTI) has graduated the first batch of 20 officers with Master of Arts degree in peace and Security Management today.

The first batch of MA graduates for the institute is comprised of 8 women, and 12 men, of which the three men are from neighboring Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya.

The two-year training was financially and technically supported by the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

During the graduation ceremony, Japan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ito Takako stated that Japan has provided the financial and technological support, noting the significance for national, continental and global peace and security.

She was particularly thrilled by the fact that 8 or 40 per cent of the graduated offices were women.

Ethiopia is not only one of the founding members of the UN and AU, but its participation in UN peacekeeping mission or peace support operations date back to 1951.

According to UN report, Ethiopia is among the top troop contributors to UN peacekeeping operations as well as the top contributor of female peacekeepers.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Mangun Old Students Association (MAOSA) has decried the wanton killings and grievous effects of incessant attacks on Plateau educational and economic growth.

Set 85, “The Pillar Set” of the association, made the lamentation in a statement issued in Jos on Monday by its Coordinator and Secretary, Messers Philemon Dagwa and Wajal Nyalwat shortly after its meeting at Plateau Polytechnic.

The pillar set of the school, which is now known as Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Mangun, described as callous and unacceptable the continuous destruction of lives and property across five local government ares of Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos and Bassa.

“We strongly condemn in totality, the consciously and well calculated evil attack and massacre of lives and destruction of property meted on Mangu Local Government in particular, by some people who don’t want peace for Plateau.

“Markets and several schools in villagers like Washna, Jing, Lakas, Pushit, Kombun and others have been destroyed along with houses and worship places, making it near impossible for students to resume studies.

“It’s unfortunate that markets are closed and teeming pupils and students are still at home because there schools are no more, nor they can return to their homes that are destroyed due to the activities of the dare devil attackers.

“We hereby call on the Federal Government, corporate organisations and philanthropists to come to the aid of the affected villagers many of whom are taking refuge in some churches and schools in various towns and nearby communities, ” the association said.

MAOSA commended the Caleb Mutfwang PDP-led administration for its quick response by arresting the situation and restoring the peace being enjoyed in Mangu LGA.

The pillar set added. “We’re also grateful to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Oluremi Bola-Tinubu, for coming to the aid of the survivors and displaced persons with donation of N500 million.”

The association, however, commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the crisis and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss and trauma.

The set, whose meeting reunited mates after 38 years, resolved to make their impact felt by their Alma mater by meeting up some of the needs of the school, to make it a conducive study environment. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation Deputy Executive Director, Raimo Naanda has said Namibia’s vocational training facilities are in a good position to train skilled personnel to take charge of the country’s emerging economic sectors like oil and gas, as well as green hydrogen.

He said institutions like the Windhoek Vocational Training Centre are expected to play a critical role by training technicians, operators, maintenance personnel and skilled artisans to be absorbed by these emerging economic sectors.

Speaking as a guest speaker at the WVTC graduation in Windhoek on Friday, Naanda underlined that the discovery of oil and gas and the development of green hydrogen will require skilled workers.

Major oil firms Shell and TotalEnergies reportedly discovered over 11 billion barrels of light oil and up to 8.7 trillion cubic feet of gas off the coast of Namibia in the Orange Basin over the past 18 months.

“These new developments and investments in green hydrogen and oil and gas discoveries will demand more skills, in particular technical skills at the artisan level. It is against this background that, as a country, we are busy repositioning our TVET system to respond to these new emerging technologies and the new skill demands of these economic sectors,” Naanda said.

He further said these new developments present an excellent opportunity for WVTC to reposition itself as a centre of excellence and move into that space.

“WVTC should grab the opportunity to develop programmes that are set to play a critical role in the practical implementation and operation of the renewable-driven hydrogen and PtX systems,” he added.

Naanda, a TVET expert, added that the developments will also require the development of industry-driven curricula and training programmes.

He commended the WVTC for introducing new programmes for this academic year, including solar equipment installation and maintenance from levels 1 to 3.

The centre has also introduced automotive mechatronics engineering. It replaces auto mechanic, which was discontinued as a qualification due to changing technologies in the respective occupational area.

“There is no doubt in my mind that these courses will respond to the emerging skill demands,” Naanda said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Ethiopia and China have been strengthening their ties by increasing their cooperation in education of technologies through Luban Workshop, Chines Tianjin University of Technology and Education said.

The government of China launched the Luban Workshop in 2021 at the Federal Technical and Vocational Training Institute (formerly known as the Ethiopian Technical University) in Addis Ababa with the aim of providing high-end technical skills training to help college students meet the requirements of the emerging global market.

The workshop was established by the Chinese Tianjin University of Technology and Education (TUTE), under the guidance of the Ministry of Education of China.

It is positioned in the field of artificial intelligence and provides undergraduate trainings majoring in manufacturing technology, electronics and communication technology, electrical and control technology, among others.

The Luban workshop in Addis Ababa serves not only Ethiopia but also for East Africa region too, it was indicated.

The African and Arab media delegates visited Tianjin University of technology.

During the visit the university officials gave briefings about the university and its cooperation with other countries through the Luban workshop project.

Professor Lv Jingquan, the Vice President of the university and the main founder of the Luban workshop brand explained about the innovative practices of the workshop.

The vice president told the Ethiopian News Agency during the occasion that the friendship between Ethiopia and China is everlasting and now established strong diplomatic cooperation in various areas.

The Luban workshop project is among the strong cooperation areas where the two countries work together in the area of education, he added.

Cultivating technical and skilled talent manpower for the industry is key and the cooperation of Luban workshops between the two countries serves not only for Ethiopia but also for East Africa region too.

He noted that “We hope that through the headquarters of the African Union we can serve the entire Africa continent. The Engineering Practice Innovation Program Research and Promotion (EPIP) model is now applied well in Ethiopia.”

According to him, currently students of east African countries are going to Luban workshop in Ethiopia to receive vocational and technical training. Countries in the region have now expressing desire to establish the Luban workshop by benchmarking Ethiopia.

Professor Jingquan appreciates the Ethiopian labor and skill minister for its commitment to support the project and promote EPIP.

It is indicated that the Ethiopian Luban Workshop offers over 600 class hours of various courses at all levels to vocational colleges in East African countries, cultivating and training 350 local teachers and students, and increasing its influence. .

As of august 2023, Tianjin University has opened more than 20 Luban workshops in more than 20 countries.

The aim is to cultivate innovative and talented teachers, who are familiar with Chinese technology and promote international products.

Tianjin University of Technology and Education is a college that was established in China in 1979, its main goal is to train teachers for vocational education.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency