(October 10/2018) The leaders and staff of the Ministry of Education held a discussion on the prepared national document titled “National Interest and Geostrategic Position”.

Speaking on the prepared national document and related issues, the Minister of Education, Professor Berhanu Nega, emphasized the need to ensure readiness to ensure our country’s strategic direction and national interest by understanding the changing global geopolitics in advance.

He emphasized that everyone should play their part by eliminating agendas, perspectives and other challenges that create obstacles by emphasizing differences in the activities currently being carried out to ensure national interests as a country.

Emphasizing that a country cannot continue without national interests, the Minister explained that it is necessary to deeply understand regional, continental and global dynamics to safeguard Ethiopia’s national interests.

He added that the main challenges to Ethiopia’s national interests are geostrategic issues and geographical challenges, and that it is crucial to ensure national interests based on international laws to overcome these challenges.

On the other hand, State Minister for General Education Development, Ms. Ayelech Eshete, pointed out that we should work hard to safeguard our national interests in the changing world by combining natural resources, population, geopolitical location and organized institutional capacity.

He also stated that it is impossible to protect or achieve important national interests by the government alone without public participation, and that the people should pay close attention to and work on the issue of national interests, which are linked to their identity, existence, and future hopes, as well as their geostrategic position.

Questions and comments were raised from the participants on what is expected of education sector workers in the proposed national document, and responses were provided from the forum.