Students begin classes at 7 UCBP universities

Axum: Students walking to class from their dormitories

Axum: studying in the library

In February, 18 year-old W/rt Frehiwot, with suitcase in hand, boarded a bus for Axum. She travelled from her home city, Gonder, to take her place as one of the first students at Axum’s new public university. Now she is studying marketing and lives in the women’s dormitory together with three women.

The women’s dormitory is one of the four yellow dormitories that make up the student residential quad in the area of the campus that has become operational. Each dormitory accommodates around 200 students. Until faculty housing is completed, the university faculty have accommodations in town. Ato Daniel is one such lecturer, but since he is from Axum, he lives at his family home. After he received his degree from Alemayehu University in Harar, he returned to Axum to teach at a private college for two years. Now he is a lecturer in the Geography department at Axum University. He says that he joined the university faculty for greater job security and to have the opportunity to work in a wider and more varied academic environment. So far he and the other two faculty members of the Geography department are teaching 57 students. “Given the rise in high school enrollment, Ethiopia must have more universities,” he says.

In addition to drawing in students, Axum's new university is beginning to attract commerce. City minibus taxis have started service to the university. Small shops and businesses dot the 3 km-long new road between the town and the campus.

Twelve other universities are being constructed throughout the country under the University Capacity Building Program. A phased approach to construction is making it possible for the universities to begin partial operation as construction continues on other areas of the site. In February-March 2007, around 5600 students (total) began classes in Axum, Dire Dawa, Dilla, Debre Markos, Jijiga, Nekempt and Sodo. When complete, the UCBP universities will be able to accommodate over 121, 000 students.