Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, February 3/2021(ENA) Ethiopia’s candidate for AU Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Hirut Woldemariam said she envisions transforming the sector and meeting the apparent demand of the continent.
Professor Hirut Woldemariam, who has served as the first female Minister of Science and Higher Education and Vice-President of Addis Ababa University, is among the five shortlisted candidates for the position.
The candidate told ENA that she has reached out over 25 embassies of the AU member countries and received encouraging acceptance.
“It is only through quality education, science, technology and innovation that we can advance Africa. There is no other way because Africa is a continent of youth. So unless we prepare our youth with quality education we cannot talk about prosperous and globally influential Africa. In light of this, we have to revisit the curriculum of Africa as a whole,” the professor noted.
Although Africa is blessed with natural resources and strategic geopolitical position that takes to be powerful and have sustainable growth, “we have not done enough on our youth so far,” the candidate added.
According to her, Africa “ has to rethink about how to transform our continent and make it global power house in the future because it has what it takes. It is very crucial to work on our youth to get relevant education that is in line with the socio-economic demands of the continent.”
She also believes that there is a need to unlock indigenous knowledge in order to unleash the various untapped potentials of the continent.
Africa needs to have its own curriculum and education system aligned with the socio-economic demands, agenda and programs. That is critical. Building pan-africanism should also be incorporated in the education system, the candidate emphasized.
Moreover, Professor Hirut stressed that Agenda 2063, which is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future, will not be attained unless transformative measures are taken.
Accordingly, schools and universities should be reformed and revitalized in such a way that they can do the work that leads the way towards creating “ the Africa we want.”
Hirut further explained that the continent “needs also to harmonize the accreditation system and standards across African universities. That is another priority area if I get elected. If we harmonize the accreditation and standards of qualification, it would be easier for our students to move across Africa from one corner to another.”
