Ethiopian Journal of Education and Sciences

Ethiopian Education Reform: From Tradition To Nowhere, A Systematic Literature Review

Animaw Tadesse — 2025-03-31

Reform approach in education plays a decisive role in determining the success or failure of the reforms. The purpose of this Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is, therefore, to examine how education reforms in Ethiopia were initiated in the last eight decades. To this end, 43 research works were screened using google search and,by applying valid exclusion criteria, a thematic synthesis systematic literature review was conducted on 30 research works (26 articles published in peer reviewed journals and monographs and 4 policy researches). The analysis builds on Chin and Bennes’s (1994) Strategies for Effecting Change. The findings show political regimes in the history of Ethiopia often employed the power-coercive strategy for reforming education. Moreover, despite their irreconcilable difference in ideology, the constituents of education reforms in the three regimes remained similar in the last eight decades. On the basis of our analysis, conclusions were drawn and implications for future research and reforming education were suggested.

A comparative analysis of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) situation among public and private schools in Kirkos sub-city, Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Merkeb Deyasso — 2025-03-31

Sustainable Development Goals aim at a universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and inclusive and effective learning environments for all. With this intention, a comparative study was made between two public and two private schools in two woredas in Kirkos sub-city, Addis Ababa. A checklist-based WASH evaluation was made during study visits in the selected schools. A total of randomly-selected 298 schoolchildren were interviewed using a structured questionnaire on their knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in WASH facilities in their respective schools. Quantitative data were analyzed statistically. Results showed that drinking water points were inadequate and handwashing stations were without soap in public schools. Menstrual hygiene management facilities were poor because of shortage of running water within the toilets, particularly in public schools. School solid waste was collected by garbage collectors or burned in school compound. Over 80% of schoolchildren from both types of schools had a good knowledge about reasons for washing hands. Most schoolchildren in private schools (93%) and a lower proportion in public schools (55%-60%) practiced handwashing with soap, mainly because soap was made available by schools due to enforced COVID-19 precautions. More private schoolchildren (67%-77%) than those in public-schools had a more positive attitude towards use of running water for drinking and understood that quality of water affected health. Only students in one public school were not happy with toilet facilities in their school. In general, there were differences in WASH infrastructure and KAP between private and public primary schools.

An Investigation into Major Features of Exemplary School Leadership Development Programs and their Implications to School Leadership Development in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review

Frew Amsale — 2025-03-31

Schools, nowadays, function in a complex, dynamic and throat-cutting competitive world which needs creativity, innovation and high performance which, in turn, makes new leadership skills and behaviours indispensable. School leadership, thus, has received significant attention among educational scientists and systems worldwide for its cruciality in determining school effectiveness and improvement in students’ achievement. The objective of this review, therefore, was to identify common characteristics of exemplary school leadership development programs in different contexts and, eventually, draw lessons for Ethiopia. Scoping approach was employed for the review. Relevant sources were searched from ERIC, SAGE and Google scholar. Consequently eight articles representing diversified contexts were systematically reviewed. Time of publication and relevance of the articles were major inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles were d selected through reading and rereading of the titles and abstracts. Rubric was used to extract the data. The review revealed that exemplary school leadership development programs are characterized by having program contents with instructional leadership focus, distinct criteria for candidates’ selection, student cantered learning strategies, strong partnership among stakeholders, involvement of committed and competent personnel and cohortbased program structure with significant implications to school leadership development programs in Ethiopia in terms of program content, program modality and the selection of candidates. Concerning content, for instance, programs should go beyond traditional administrative roles of school leaders and include both curricular and instructional issues. The selection of candidates should consider adequate leadership experiences and prior academic preparations. Regarding modality, adequate internship and field work opportunities need due attention.

Response of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to Applications of Lime and Vermicompost at Acidic Soil of Bule District, Southern Highland of Ethiopia

Fikru Tamiru Kenea — 2025-03-31

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important crop and plays a major role in national food and nutritional security, poverty alleviation, and income generation in Ethiopia. But its average productivity is low compared to other countries due to different factors including high soil acidity in the highlands of Ethiopia. This research was undertaken to assess the effect of lime and vermincompost (VC) on yield of potato under acidic soil conditions of Bule District, Southern Highland of Ethiopia. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. A total of twelve treatments from three rates of lime (0, 3.6 and 4.9) and four rates of vermicompost (0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5) replicated three times were implemented on 36 plots. The result showed that there were significant differences among treatments due to interaction effect of lime and vermicompost. Extended duration of maturity (126 days), maximum result of plant height (82.13cm), marketable tuber yield (33.33 tha^-1 ), total tuber yield (34.46 tha^-1 ), and minimum result of unmarketable tuber yield (1.03 tha^-1 ) were recorded due to application of maximum rate of lime and vermicompost while minimum result of these parameters were observed without their application. The findings indicate that lime and VC adjust the soil acidity to condition suitable for potato production. Therefore, the application of maximum rate of lime (5 tha^-1 ) and vermicomost (7.5 tha^-1 ) is recommended for high production of potato at the study area.

Stability and Hopf Bifurcation Analysis of Maxwell-Bloch Equations Magarsa Jeldo, Chernet Tuge Deressa and Dinka Tilahun

Magarsa Jeldo — 2025-03-31

Stability theory plays a central role in system engineering, especially in the field of control systems and automation with regard to both dynamics and control. In this paper, stability and Hopf bifurcation analysis of Maxwell-Bloch equations were considered. By the aid of divergence test, it was proved that the system is dissipative. Steady state points of the equations were determined. The equations were linearized using Jacobian matrix about each equilibrium points. The local stability condition of each critical point was proved by using Routh- Huwertiz stability criteria. By the aid of Lyapunov theorem, equilibrium point one was proved to be globally asymptotically stable with some specific condition on pumping energy parameter. Furthermore, the result of Hopf bifurcation revealed that the system doesn’t undergo Hopf bifurcation at equilibrium point one by any choice of pumping energy parameter and with some specific conditions the system undergoes Hopf bifurcation about the two remaining equilibrium points for a certain value of pumping energy parameter. Finally, in order to verify the applicability of the result two supportive examples were solved and MATLAB simulation was implemented to support the findings of the study.