0 comments
Ethiopia is currently facing a significant challenge in its education system – abysmally low university entrance exam pass rates. Only 3% of high school students manage to pass leading to a growing crisis in the country’s educational landscape.
In the Ethiopian education system, high school students must pass the country’s University Entrance Exam, locally known as the Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Certificate Examination (EHEECE), to gain admission to universities.
The exam covers a wide range of subjects such as maths, languages, science, social science, and humanities. The majority of students who fail these exams often face limited future prospects, leading to a cycle of unemployment and underemployment in the country.
The shockingly low 3% pass rate in the university entrance exams reveals the scope of the challenge facing Ethiopia’s education system.
Several factors contribute to this. The nation’s educational infrastructure is far from ideal, with a shortage of qualified teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and a lack of necessary resources, particularly in rural areas.
During a briefing in Addis Ababa last week, education minister Berhanu Nega announced that of the 845,288 students who sat the university entrance exams, only 27,000 managed to achieve the 50% mark required to pass. This mass shortcoming has been witnessed in the last two years according to local reports.
A lack of comprehensive preparation materials and guidance for students is evident. Many do not have access to prep courses, study materials, or adequate support systems to help them succeed.
According to UNICEF, economic disparities in the country also play a significant role. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds, which make up a large part of the overall population, face additional barriers in accessing quality education in the first place.
