The Ethiopian Educational and Training Authority has announced a proposed amendment to Directive No. 990/2016 concerning the authentication of educational credentials and equivalency assessments.
The draft proposal introduces a mandatory requirement for graduates who completed their undergraduate, masters, or doctoral studies between 2010 and 2015 E.C. without taking an exit examination to undergo a re-qualification assessment.
According to the Authority, this decision is part of a broader initiative to ensure the quality of higher education and to standardize the competency levels of graduates.
Under the proposed provisions, individuals who earned their degrees during this period without sitting for the mandatory exit exam must now pass a qualification assessment administered by the Ministry of Education for their credentials to be officially authenticated.
The scope of the amendment applies specifically to graduates from both public and private higher education institutions who completed their studies between 2010 and 2015 E.C. without an exit exam, as well as those who pursued degree programs without fulfilling the Level IV Competency Assessment (COC) requirements where applicable.
Furthermore, the Authority emphasized that once this amendment takes effect, all higher education institutions will be strictly required to adhere to admission standards set by the Ministry of Education or the relevant regulatory body when enrolling new students.
The Authority explained that the measure is intended to align graduation processes and graduate competencies with national quality standards. Officials noted that the initiative is designed to enhance the competitiveness of graduates in the labor market and ensure the integrity and authenticity of educational credentials across the country.
The Authority has opened a public consultation period from Sene 29 to Hamle 13, 2018 E.C., to gather feedback from stakeholders on the draft amendment. Interested parties can submit their input by completing the survey at https://forms.gle/ndRhodE2yoHSn2P5A, via email at Info@eta.et, or by reviewing the draft document on the Authority’s official website at www.neta.gov.et.
In addition to the online feedback channels, the Authority announced plans to host an in-person consultation forum for stakeholders, with details regarding the date, time, and venue to be disclosed in the coming days.
The proposed directive is expected to spark significant debate among graduates and academic institutions, as the nation watches to see how this measure, aimed at safeguarding educational quality, will be implemented.
