(November 04/ 2018) The 10th science and technology innovation fair and competition, which was organized by the Ministry of Education and affiliated bodies and hosted by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, has concluded.

At the conclusion of the program, State Minister for Higher Education Development Ato Kora Tushune stated that the program is a context where students and teachers share their creative ideas with others and seek support and resources to transform them into effective products and services, and therefore it should be continued in a manner that is consistent with the efforts of relevant stakeholders.

He stated that the fundamental and main reason for the development gap between countries is the attention given to technology and innovation and the work done in this regard.

The Minister of Science and Innovation added that supporting and empowering students with technological and creative talents in their communities is one of the key tasks assigned to universities.

The Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Dr. Baisa Bedada, said that students and teachers should use this platform as a good opportunity to work hard so that their creative work can benefit themselves and the country in the future, and that the Ministry is committed to providing the support expected for their efforts.

Dr. Baisa added that the government has currently established a national fund to support start-up entrepreneurs, established several technology incubators, provided a grace period to connect creative owners with the market and exempted them from taxes and other obligations, and stressed that students and teachers with creative talents should not only know that there is a favorable environment, but also use it as an opportunity.

National STEM Power Director, Dr. Semenew Qesqes, for his part, stated that one of the main objectives of the fair and competition is to enable participants to connect with each other, exchange their knowledge and creative experiences in science and technology, and connect with the community. He noted that the work done so far has produced students who are competitive at the international level.

It was also stated at the forum that an organization called Stem Synergy has been supporting the creative work of teachers and students for several years.

The closing ceremony was attended by the heads of Addis Ababa Science and Technology University and other partner institutions.

Various awards were presented to teachers and students who competed in various fields at the 10th Creative Work Fair.