Special Higher Education Opportunity for Women from Emerging States
Hawa Mustafa is from Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Assosa Woreda. She never touched a computer until she came to ESCU in May 2013as part of the special pilot education program for women from emerging states. “I completed grade 10 in 2004. I had diploma in agriculture from a TVET in Assosa town after studying for three years. I worked in a rural area near Assosa town for four years, when a notice announcing this education opportunity was posted, I applied, took the entrance examination and passed the exam. And I came to ECSU. Including me, the women who came from Benishangul Gumuz Regional State are fifteen. First, I was totally confused as everything, including the form I was given to fill, was new to me. The first few days were challenging.”
The 52 female students drawn from the four emerging states, Afar, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella Somali, came to ECSU in May 2012. They took preparatory courses for four months before they all joined the Development Management Department at the beginning of the new academic year.
ECSU Center for Gender Development is closely following the day to day activities of the students. Head of the center, Abay Akemachew, told a journalist from the ECSU External and Public Relations Department that,
“The four months were preparatory period. They studied English, Basic Mathematics, Computer Skill and Study Skill. The preparatory courses were needed because the women came from diverse backgrounds. Some of them were away from school for many years. They needed to have basic knowledge prior to taking department courses.”
According to Abay, the women came to study at ECSU owing to the initiative of the Ministry of Federal Affairs as part of its goal of building the capacity of women from emerging states and also as part of Alternative Admission Program of the university. The program focused on women from emerging states as their burden is double, as a woman and as someone from a region that has been disadvantaged in many aspects, as compared to women from better off regions. All the 52 women joined the Development Management Department.
Concerning the preparatory courses, Ouda Kedir, who is a student from Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, said, “The preparatory courses helped me a lot particularly in improving my mathematics knowledge and computer skill. I have forgotten math as I have been away from school for many years. The tutorial courses helped me to like math. And I had never touched a computer before I came here. Here we have had easy and free access to computers in our dormitory building.”
The ECSU Center for Gender Development has helped the women in getting accustomed to the new environment once they settled in the campus. Shihun Oumer, a student from Somali Regional State, said, “It was tough for me to live in Addis Ababa as the weather was much colder than Jijiga where I used to work as a nurse. The Gender Center has been giving us frequent trainings and advice. The center was encouraging us and making our relationships with the teachers smooth.” Regarding the teachers Shihun added,
“They are like our fathers. They do their best to help us understand what they teach.”
Some of the students, who have become beneficiaries of the special pilot program, have been married and most of them already have children. They face more challenges than the single students. The ECSU Center for Gender Development is helping them a lot to avoid stress.
Ouda Kedir, the student from Benishagul Gumuz Region, has a two-and-half-years old son. “After I came here, I was desperately missing my child during the first few months. Abay gave us trainings us how to avoid stress and I was able to cope up with my stress. The trainings helped me a lot. My parents are taking good care of my son, and my husband is happy that I got this opportunity. I am no more worrying for being away from my family.”
Cham Ouchala, who is from Gambella State, has four children. “Women get married at an early age in our region and once they are married they would be too busy raising their children. And there has not been much education opportunity for married women. This program, therefore, is a wonderful opportunity for me.”
According to President of ECSU, Dr. Hailemichael Abera, the ultimate goal of the special program, is building the capacity of women and creating many more educated women with first and second degrees in the four emerging regions.The president said.
“Although women constitute half of our population, the number of women with degrees in the civil service of emerging states is very small. The goal of this program is to produce many educated women so that their number eventually balances with the number of their male counterparts”
By empowering women the program is hoped to produce many women leaders. Zahara Yimer, a student from Afar, said, ‘You can count with your fingers the number of women civil servants with degrees in the Afar civil service. They are few. I’ve working in a remote rural village. After I graduate, I’ll surely have the chance to work at woreda, zonal or regional level.”
Head of the ECSU Center for Gender Development, Abay Akemachew says, “We believe this program will have a multiplying effect. When the women return back to their respective regions, more women will be encouraged to follow in their footsteps”