(March 9/2017) A consultation forum is being held to identify the problems faced by teacher training colleges and to set a direction for solutions.

The Minister of Education, Professor Berhanu Nega, who attended the consultation forum, said that the education system has suffered a fundamental moral collapse.

To correct this, he said that various reforms are being designed and implemented in the education sector from pre-primary to higher education.

He said that special attention should be paid to teachers to make these reform activities effective, and for this, teacher education colleges should fulfill their mission in producing quality and competent teachers.

The State Minister for General Education Development, Ms. Ayelech Eshete, for her part, emphasized the great role of teacher training colleges in ensuring the quality of education.

The Minister of State, who noted that our country has a long history in teacher training, said that the current situation has faced challenges in producing teachers who are sufficiently skilled at the level of education they teach.

He noted that if problems related to teacher training and administration cannot be properly identified and resolved, it is impossible to ensure the quality of education and efforts should be made to solve this.

The Executive Director of the Quality Audit of the Education and Training Authority, Ms. Tigist H/Selassie, said that teacher training colleges should be included in the qualification registration and accreditation system so that they can do their work properly;

He said that a system will be implemented where the colleges will be registered and accredited and operate.

It was also stated at the forum that the colleges should work diligently to fulfill their mission in producing quality and competent teachers, and all stakeholders were called upon to play their part.

The consultation forum is being attended by heads of education bureaus, teachers’ college leaders, leaders of the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association, and other stakeholders.