Amare Asgedom
4 Publications in AERD
Author Publications
Export PDFMinority student’s agency: resistance to inequality at multiethnic primary schools
By Tesfaye Ebabuye
The study explores the resistance of minority students in Ethiopian multiethnic primary schools to discrimination and inequality. It also examined the influence of hidden curricula on minority student’s agency. This qualitative phenomenological research involved 32 ethno-cultural minority pupils and used participant observation, in-depth interviews and document analysis. The results showed that minority students used passive symbolic and active resistance techniques against the persistent inequality and discrimination in multi-ethnic primary schools of Ethiopia. The hidden curriculum negatively affected their agency, leading to schools and the education system blaming the victim and adopting a defective attitude towards minority students. The results of the study and subsequent discussion demonstrated that in these educational settings, the assumption and notion about the role of formal education as an instrument of individual achievement, personal and social empowerment, equal opportunity, and large-scale social mobility have been broken. Teachers should tailor their classes to their student’s interests and past experiences, ensuring their flexibility and adaptability to foster student agency. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Is linking technical and vocational training with industry a bridge to employability? Lessons from a literature review for Ethiopia
By Amarech Kebede
Skill demand and supply mismatch is a global problem identified as a root cause of unemployment, urging education and training institutions to revise their curriculum with the collaboration of industries. This article aimed to analyze prior research outputs on the effective Linkage of technical and vocational training institutions with industries and extract lessons for Ethiopia. The study covered 30 purposefully selected articles and analyzed thematically to identify lessons and implications that fit Ethiopia. The findings highlighted Linkage as a platform for sharing powers and responsibilities between education and training institutions and serve as a workplace transition. Linkage can be through qualification standard setting, curriculum development, internship, and apparent ship programs. The industry serves as a laboratory that allows trainees to analyze, synthesize, and reflect on the technological needs and challenges of industries, enables them to solve problems of industries, creates employment opportunities, allows industries to select competent workers, helps to share training costs and exchange expertise, builds the image of technical and vocational training. The findings further identified the challenges of Linkage and its coping strategies. Finally, the review concluded that Linkage is necessary rather than the choice to minimize skill mismatches, reduce unemployment, and increase productivity, especially in countries like Ethiopia that run short of training resources. However, further research is needed to monitor the situation continuously and determine appropriate policy changes for skill development interventions. Technical and Vocational Education and Training is the best human resource development strategy that plays a crucial role in enhancing the competency and employability of individuals through updating and upgrading their skills, knowledge, and attitude. Fostering collaboration between TVET institutions and industries through internships and apprenticeships enables learners to gain practical experience, make valuable connections between theory and practice, and ensure graduates are adequately prepared for the workforce. However, ensuring a successful and sustainable partnership between educational institutions and industries is facing various challenges, including changing industrial demands and technological advancements, misalignment of curriculum and industry needs, limited resources and infrastructure, weak quality assurance and accreditation systems, and a lack of awareness and understanding among educational institutions and industries about the benefits of the linkage. They are addressing these challenges and ensuring employability, which requires collaboration between academic institutions, industries, and government agencies.
A phenomenological study of the lived experience of minority students: The paradox of equitable education and school practices
By Tesfaye Ebabuye
The focus of this research was to understand the level at which the voices, backgrounds, and experiences of ethno cultural minority students are represented and received recognition or consideration in Ethiopia's education policy formulation context and the actual process and structure of schooling. Using a qualitative phenomenological research approach, this study investigates how the hidden curriculum manifests and shapes the lived experiences of ethno cultural minority students in Ethiopian public elementary schools. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 students and 8 teachers from four ethno culturally diverse primary schools. The emerging themes were investigated using theories of hidden curriculum, cultural reproduction, multiculturalism, and culturally responsive schooling. The study's results revealed that the hidden curriculum exclusively promotes the hegemonic dominance of the cultural capital of the majority, thereby discouraging equality, equity, and social justice. Ethno culturally diverse primary schools in Ethiopia are lacking in the practical implementation of multi-cultural and culturally responsive education. The goal of achieving unity through diversity, which was not accompanied by an understanding and accommodation of our differences, resulted in unequal educational system that effectively marginalized minority students. Therefore the research recommends policymakers should eradicate such a discriminatory, inhuman social treatment and prejudiced policy and practice environment that excludes the experience, aspiration and dreams of minority students. And hence the real and concrete malpractices that the research has uncovered must be stopped with urgency. They have to design policy frameworks that are inclusive, culturally responsive and critical in order for the life goals of minority students to be realized. © 2023 The Authors
Whose voice counts? Examining government-donor negotiations in the design of Ethiopia’s large-scale education reforms for equitable learning
By Amare Asgedom
Motivation: The Government of Ethiopia has a long-standing commitment to improving the quality of education. In recent years, this has shifted to include a more explicit focus on equity in learning outcomes. In this paper, we examine the education reform design process in the context of Ethiopia’s political environment which is widely recognised as a strong developmental state. Purpose: The article examines how federal, regional, and international donor actors negotiate their interests in relation to Ethiopia’s national quality education reform programme, the General Education Quality Improvement Programme for Equity (GEQIP-E). Methods and approach: We conducted 81 semi-structured, key informant interviews with federal and regional government officials and international donors who were involved in the design of GEQIP-E. Findings: We find that federal government was able to leverage considerable political influence over high-level priorities and the framing of GEQIP-E. Large donors leveraged financial influence to exclude some specific priorities, while smaller donors were able to draw on social influence and technical expertise to include priorities aligned with their interests. Regional governments—which are responsible for policy implementation—were largely excluded from the reform design process. Policy implications: Our analysis highlights the importance of recognizing and understanding different forms of influence in the dynamic process of negotiating reform between government and donors. It identifies that both government and donor voices counted in the process of negotiations, but in different ways and to varying degrees. Understanding how different actors draw on their relative political, financial, and social influence is vital for ensuring successful implementation and sustainability. Importantly, we identify that voices of local actors are left out. © 2022 The Authors. Development Policy Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of ODI.
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