Ethiopia: The German Dean of Adama University Quits, Program Terminated

DAAD's program terminated at Adama University

7 July 2012 [ESAT]
The German born dean of Adama University has quit his post and his much touted reform of the university is terminated. The 68 year old German Professor, Hans-Peter Langfeldt, took up his current post two and a half years ago and he was signed to transform Adama University’s programs fashioned in German ways. His team of five German professors have also left the university.

The Ethiopian government has brought in South Korean Professors in their stead.

Professor Hans-Peter Langfeldt was said to have been expressing his misgiving with the way education is delivered in Ethiopia. Reports show that he has objected to the government’s ambitious plan to increase the number of graduates from 150 thousand to 450 thousand by 2015. One individual who knows the matter and asked to remain anonymous said Professor Hans-Peter Langfeldt is unhappy with the way DAAD conducts its development related business in Ethiopia and has repeatedly requested the German Government to reassess its development assistance.

Some commentators argue the sudden termination of DAAD’s much touted program at Adama University is related to Ethiopian government’s displeasure with its German counterpart’s demand for the immediate release of Swedish Journalists currently serving their 11 year sentence on terrorism related charges.

Quality of higher education has become a subject of heated debate after the Ethiopian television recently showed post graduate level graduates doing menial job in a country where many believe there is a shortage of skilled labour.