Government Policies and Institutional Responsibilities of Private Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia

Abstract

Private Higher Education provision which started in 1996 has come a long way in the very short period of its existence in Ethiopia. The policy of Education and Training subsequent education sector development programs, particularly the third ESDP, and the Higher Education capacity building strategies have highlighted, though sometimes in a passing, the importance of the private sector in Higher Education provision. It has accounted for about 24.8% of the 2004/5 overall (degree and diploma levels) enrolment and about 9.3% of the degree level enrolments of the national Higher Education system. It is currently providing access to a large number of the youth who could not join the public institutions, offering wide opportunities in terms of choice of programs, delivery modes (regular, evening, distance, etc.) and places of study. The Private Higher Education Institutions have faced several challenges. The most critical among these, not necessarily characterizing all institutions, are declining student enrolment, particularly in some disciplines and institutions, limited capacity to fulfill requisite facilities and infrastructure, inability to expand mainly due to land problems, poor commitments to quality upkeep and enhancement, problems of meeting the expectations and/or satisfactions of the government and the society, and poor unity and utilization of their association to further objectives and influence stakeholders, including government. However, there are sizeable number of institutions that have overcome these challenges through different mechanisms and won the trust of the students, parents, government and other stakeholders. There are also few that have failed to address the challenges of mainly playing their role of social responsibility and accountability. The coming years would require both government and private providers to focus on meeting social demands and expectations in the higher education sector. The government is expected to provide more transparent and facilitating policies and strategies, as well as leveling the playing ground as it has done for other investment sectors in the last few years. On the other hand, private institutions are expected to focus on quality and relevance of curricula and courses, focus on producing responsible, knowledgeable and skilled citizens, and contribute to equitable access to Higher Education.