Addis Ababa (WIC) - Ministry of Capacity Building disclosed that it has executed various capacity building reforms on four components of intervention areas with an outlay of 380 million birr this fiscal year.
Engineering Capacity Building Program (ECBP) Director with the Ministry, Anbesswedim Mamo, said the four areas include reform on universities, technical and vocational education and training colleges, quality infrastructure, and development of the private sector.
He said workshop equipments are being procured with 100 million birr budget allocated by the government for the Addis Ababa University whose revised curriculum has been under implementation this academic year.
New curricula designed for Jimma, Bahirdar and Mekelle universities were also finalized this year and they will be implemented next academic year, the director said, adding that new curricula would similarly be prepared for Adama, Gondar, Arbaminch, Haramaya and Awassa universities in the coming Ethiopian year and realized in 2008.
ECBP in addition undertook various activities so as to make TVET program centralized and market-oriented through the support of German professionals, Anbesswedem stated.
A draft strategy of an accreditation system for quality assurance and standard maintenance was completed and will be endorsed by the concerned bodies in the middle of July, the director said.
He further said a consultant has been hired and activities are underway to make the Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia the first local accreditation body.
Besides ECBP has undertaken reengineering program for 28 companies, in collaboration with German professionals, to make the private sector become competent and better currently earning by giving priority to construction, leather, agro-processing, textile, pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies, Anbesswendim stated.