Ministry Urges Collaboration of All Stakeholders to Make Science Culture

ENA / November 7/2019 Cooperation among professional associations, academia and other stakeholders is crucial to make science a culture and ensure development, according to Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Science and Higher Education State Minister, Professor Afework Kassu told reporters on the sideline of a workshop organized in connection with Science Week, that the workshop is prepared to scale up science knowledge and enhance the accessibility to all districts of the country.

These will be realized through making science issues common agenda and identifying policy gaps in collaboration with professional societies, he added.

Reaching understanding on the country’s national plan of science with stakeholders in forums like this, will therefore help realize national development endeavors, the state minister stated.

“We need change that requires scientific knowledge to improve the livelihood of our community and at the same time accelerate sustainable development,” he noted.

In this regard, efforts will be exerted to increase awareness of the society, improve science infrastructure, and strengthen research institutes.

According to Afework, promoting indigenous knowledge is also important to solve economic, social and political problems of the country.

Moreover, changing this potential to knowledge and coordinating it with research institutes across the country and beyond is important.

In general, the government has plans to prioritize science knowledge by filling the gaps of lack of human resources, finance and institutional arrangements, according to the state minister.  

Science and Research Affairs Director at the ministry, Solomon Binor said enhancing science as culture is vital to ensure development and prosperity.

Therefore, creating linkage among universities, colleges, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training  is necessary.  

The director added that Ethiopia has over 50 public universities and four private universities which could create good opportunity for science and development.

Besides, there are 200 public and private colleges as well as 1600 technical and vocational training institutes in the country.

Participants from region and city administration offices as well as representatives of professional associations attended the one-day workshop.