ETHIOPIA

The Ethiopian National Qualifications Framew ork (ENQF) is being developed by a taskforce set up in
2007 by the M inistry of Education (M oE). Since 2010, the Higher Education Strategy Centre (HESC)
w as mandated to coordinate the process of the ENQF development and implementation in close
collaboration w ith the M inistry of Education and other relevant agencies (Proclamation No. 650/2009
and 691/2011 (HESC, 2011). A sub-framew ork designed to integrate into the ENQF, the Ethiopian
Technical and Vocational Education and Training Qualifications Framew ork (NTQF), w as proposed in
2006 (M oE, 2006c).

1. CHALLENGES THE NQF WOULD NEED TO ADDRESS

The population of Ethiopia is about 80 million and its economy is predominantly agrarian. In keeping
w ith its commitment to participate in the competitive global market economy and become a middle
income country by 2025, Ethiopia has set a human resource development agenda to raise the quality
of its w orkforce to international standards and build a culture of entrepreneurship among graduates
(Solomon, 2011).

Providing adequate employment opportunities for the grow ing labour force, particularly for young
people, constitutes a major socio-economic challenge. According to the 2007/08 census, 15 to 24-
year-olds accounted in that year for 20.5 per cent of the total population. A significant proportion of
those young people w ork in the agricultural sector, distantly follow ed by w holesale and retail trade,
suggesting that young people are mainly engaged in sectors characterised by low productivity and
incomes.

Ethiopia’s current labour market information system, by w hich data about the labour market is made
available, is insufficiently developed, fragmented, limited in scope and out-of-date. Strengthening the
labour market information system is therefore an important objective of the Ethiopian Government
(OECD, 2012).

Ethiopia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system is in dire need of
government attention in order to remedy the many challenges it currently faces. The system
struggles to coordinate a variety of providers at different qualification levels (M oE, 2008). Demand for
TVET far exceeds supply; formal TVET caters for less than 3 per cent of the relevant age group.
Partially as a result of underfunding, Ethiopia lacks a qualified corps of TVET teachers/instructors. A
mismatch betw een the content of TVET courses and industry requirements means that many TVET
graduates remain unemployed even in occupational fields w ith a high demand for skilled labour.
Employers are not consulted during the planning of courses. M echanisms for assessment and
certification of TVET candidates are inadequate. Since few people are aw are of the benefits of TVET,
the sector suffers from a lack of prestige (M oE, 2008).

A number of reform initiatives have been put forw ard in the last tw enty years to address the
challenges facing Ethiopia’s education and training system. The National TVET Strategy w as
developed in August 2006 (M oE, 2006b). In September 2006 the Federal M inistry of Education
developed a National TVET Qualifications Framew ork (NTQF) to improve the quality and relevance of
the TVET system and create w ays to recognize the w ide range of formal, non-formal and informal
learning existing in Ethiopia, hence opening access to qualifications for previously neglected target
groups (M oE, 2006c). A TVET Leaders’ and Trainers’ Qualifications Framew ork (TLTQF) w as
introduced in 2010 (M oE, 2010b).

The Education and Training Policy of 1994 (Teshome, 2005; Solomon, 2011) led to the preparation in
1996 of the Education Sector Development Programme ESDP IV. This programme outlined a
comprehensive development vision for the education sector, covering formal, non-formal, initial and
further training, provided open access to certification, and created pathw ays betw een the general,
TVET and higher education sectors (M oE, 2010a).

The national Grow th and Transformation Plan (GTP) adopted by the Federal Government of Ethiopia
for the years 2010 to 2014 identified education as one of the key sectors contributing to the
production of high-quality skilled manpow er for the Ethiopian economy (Assegidew , 2012).

2. M AIN POLICY OBJECTIVES

The ENQF aims to:
 raise the quality of educational programmes, and hence the credibility of qualifications, by
establishing quality assurance processes and setting out nationally valid standards detailing
the know ledge, skills and competences expected of graduates of all ENQF qualifications;
 make Ethiopian qualifications more relevant to industry and the labour market;
 promote equity and access to education for all Ethiopians;
 provide mechanisms for the recognition of learning gained in formal, non-formal and
informal settings;
 harmonize the three sub-sectors (general, TVET and higher education) by setting out
common standards and progression pathw ays betw een them, improving the transparency
and comparability of qualifications.

The ENQF builds on the objectives of the already existing NTQF (M oE, 2006c), w hich are to:
 improve the transparency of the TVET qualifications system, ensuring that trainees know
w hat they need to learn and employers know w hat they can expect of graduates;
 ensure flexibility, transferability and progression betw een different occupational and
training fields and betw een different training venues;
 eliminate the barriers that currently block horizontal and vertical educational pathw ays;
 establish and maintain a levels system, based on standards of competence, detailing the
know ledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) acquired by trainees;
 create a single nationally and internationally accepted system against w hich all learning
achievements may be measured and understood.

3. INVOLVEM ENT OF STAKEHOLDERS AND LEGAL ARRANGEM ENTS

In June 2004 a team of inquiry into governance, leadership and management in higher education
produced a report entitled the Higher Education System Overhaul (HESO) report, recommending the
development of a National Qualifications Framew ork for Ethiopia. The intention w as to design a
qualifications framew ork focusing on post-secondary certification (post Grade 12) and providing
mechanisms for the recognition of prior learning and for skills upgrading in the w orkplace (M oE,
2004).

The endorsement of Higher Education Proclamation No. 651/2003 (FDRE), w hich w as repealed and
replaced by Proclamation No. 650/2009, constituted a major step forw ard in educational policy
making. The new Proclamation states that ‘the M inistry [of Education], the Centre [HESC], and the
Agency [HERQA] shall also guide institutional quality enhancement efforts as w ell as curricula
development through a national qualifications framew ork that shall, as the case may be, determine or
indicate core learning outcomes or graduate competences’. (Assegidew , 2012; emphasis added by
author). At the same time, tools for public sector reforms such as Business Process Re-Engineering
1 2
(BPR) and Balanced Score Card (BSC) of public institutions
created a need to reorganize the sub-sectors of education and training and establish the ENQF
(HESC, 2011).

The period betw een 2004 and 2008 saw limited progress on the ENQF despite several attempts to
maintain momentum through strategy papers, consultative documents and implementation plans
(Assegidew , 2012). The reason for this w as that Ethiopia’s education and training policies continued
to emphasize formal education to the neglect of non-formal and informal learning. As a result,
aw areness of the ENQF w as low in both the public and private sectors, and there w as little
interaction betw een education and training providers, and the labour market. M oreover, an
overw helming variety of models and suggestions from other countries ended up complicating, rather
than facilitating the design process of the ENQF. Various organisations such as SAQA, DeLPHE, GIZ,
NUFFIC and the Tuning Project for engineering and technology programmes offered different models
of NQFs and proposed different orientations for the education system (British, American, German
and Australian) (Ibid, p. 90). The influence of other international developments such as the South
African Development Community (SADC) regional qualifications framew ork, the European
Qualifications Framew ork and the African Qualifications Framew ork proposed by the African Union
further complicated proceedings.

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) w as appointed in January 2008 to provide technical
assistance to the ENQF Taskforce w ith financial aid from an Italian contribution to the Education
Sector Development Programme (ENQF Taskforce, 2008). The responsibilities of the ENQF Taskforce
w ere:
 to consider how best to harmonize the existing national qualifications;
 to regulate national standards of know ledge and skills by defining qualifications levels w ith
descriptors based on learning outcomes;
 to create a system for comparing qualifications, making them more comprehensible to
learners, providers and employers and thus increasing confidence in the national
qualifications system;
 to investigate procedures to improve access to learning and possibilities for credit transfer
and progression;
 to investigate the establishment of dedicated agencies to manage, monitor and evaluate
the ENQF and support further reform;
 to hold discussions w ith all relevant stakeholders in order to ensure a common and deep
understanding on all matters relating to the ENQF;
 to develop a Consultative Document for the Development of a National Qualifications
Framew ork for Ethiopia (ENQF Taskforce, 2008).3

The most recent developments in ENQF-related policy have had a direct effect on implementation of
the ENQF (Assegidew , 2012). This can be seen in the preparation of a road map and strategy to
establish an ENQF Advisory Group, a Technical Working Group and an ENQF M anagement
Information System.

4. LEVELS AND DESCRIPTORS AND THE USE OF LEARNING OUTCOM ES

The ten-level ENQF covers general education, TVET and higher education. The level descriptors from
the w ork w ith SAQA in 2008 w ill be rew orked and presented to the partners and stakeholders for
comments (ENQF Taskforce, 2008).

1
Business Process Re-Engineering (BPR) is tool for strengthening managerial capacities of public
institutions
2
Balanced Score Card (BSC) is a tool to measure and analyze organizational and individual
performance information for timely informed decision making in public institutions
3
This was completed in 2008 and is awaiting formalization (Assegidew, 2012).
Table 1. Levels of the ENQF
ENQF Level Grade General and Higher TVET
Education
10 PhD
9 M aster’s Degree
(240 Credits)
8 Graduate Diploma
(120 Credits)
7 Bachelor’s Degree
(360 Credits)
6 Diploma Advanced Diploma
(120 Credits) (120 Credits)
5 12 Higher Education Diploma
Entrance Examination (120 Credits)
Certificate
(120 Credits)
4 11 Level 4 Certificate
(120 Credits)
3 10 General Education Level 3 Certificate
Certificate (120 Credits)
(120 Credits)
2 8 Level 2 Certificate
1 Primary School Basic Certificate
Certificate
(120 Credits)
Access 1-4
Including Adult Basic
Education
Source: ENQF Taskforce, 2008

The NTQF (the Ethiopian NQF for TVET) has five levels, from National TVET Certificates I to V (NTQF,
2006c). Occupational standards are formulated in terms of know ledge, skills and attitudes (KSA)
(M inistry of Education, 2006c). Level descriptors in the NTQF are supported by mechanisms for
standard-setting, assessment and certification in cooperation w ith employers, as w ell as a
competence-based assessment system to support the validation of non-formal and informal learning
(M inistry of Education, 2006c).

5. PROGRESSION PATHWAYS AND RECOGNITION AND VALIDATION OF

NON-FORM AL AND INFORM AL LEARNING
Strengthening progression pathw ays betw een non-formal post-primary education and the TVET
qualifications framew ork is one of the key objectives of the ENQF. The Federal M inistry of Education
developed the Non-formal TVET Implementation Framew ork to facilitate this (M oE, 2006a).
M obility in the TVET system takes place horizontally and vertically. Horizontal mobility involves
trainees moving from one programme to another in a different occupational field but at the same
qualifications level (for example from Accounting Level II to Plumbing Level II). Vertical mobility
involves trainees moving from one certification level to another or from a certificate level to a diploma
level in the same occupational field (M oE, 2006c).

Whilst progression pathw ays are relatively easy to identify and maintain w ithin a single sub-
framew ork, the matter becomes more complicated in the context of an overarching ENQF covering
all three educational sectors. In this situation, proper coordination betw een stakeholders is crucial, as
the different sectors may fall under different jurisdictions. Additionally, a common language is
essential in order to facilitate the transfer of credits from TVET to Higher Education (Assegidew 2012,
p. 92).
6. REFERENCING TO REGIONAL FRAM EWORKS
The Annex to the Protocol for the Establishment of the East African Community (EAC) Common
M arket on M utual Recognition of Academic and Professional Qualifications recommends that
qualifications framew orks in the region should have ten levels. An audit covering regulated
qualifications issued by national examination and aw arding bodies in the EAC also resulted in the
recommendation of a ten-level framew ork for academic and vocational qualifications. Other countries
w ith ten-level framew orks include Tanzania, M auritius and Australia.

Partner States have agreed to harmonize all national qualifications w ithin the EAC. The exercise on
Harmonization of the East African Education Systems and Training Curricula is still ongoing.

7. IM PORTANT LESSONS AND FUTURE PLANS

Overall, the prospects for implementing the ENQF seem bright. Political w ill, policy directives and
global influence are in place, and importance is already being given in reform initiatives to raising the
quality of education in Ethiopia and improving economic grow th. One of the main strengths of the
ENQF development process is that it provides a platform for dialogue betw een stakeholders w ho do
not usually interact w ith one another (Assegidew , 2012, p. 92). The Government of Ethiopia
introduced the ENQF not as a stand-alone reform, but as an integral part of other reform initiatives.
M aking the ENQF operational has been the w ork of many different reform initiatives over a period of
time, a number of w hich are already bearing fruit.

Nevertheless, ENQF implementation requires hard w ork. It requires the co-operation of national and
regional governments and other relevant stakeholders, as w ell as an understanding among all
concerned parties of how the proposed changes are to be achieved (Teshome, 2005). It is often
tempting to favour ‘quick-fix solutions’, but NQF developments in other countries have repeatedly
demonstrated that NQFs are instruments of ‘communication, collaboration and cooperation’ that
entail an iterative development process and take time to become familiar and accepted (SAQA
Bulletin, 2012).

A recent study on the critical factors in ENQF implementation (Assegidew , 2012) made the follow ing
recommendations:
 M ore attention should be given to programme design and curriculum development.
 The government should take full ow nership of the ENQF by allotting appropriate funds and
resources to the ENQF development process.
 The M oE and HESC should facilitate collaboration betw een different stakeholders,
ministries, NGOs and the private sector.
 Labour market linkages should be strengthened and comparability of qualifications
improved.
 There should be greater involvement of experienced and know ledgeable academics in
research.
 Communication strategies should be developed for ‘buy-in’ of policy makers’ involvement,
commitment and persistence.
 The language of the ENQF should be made more comprehensible to the public.
 A strong institutional support base should be established both at the level of manpow er
and of infrastructure.
 A plan should be developed for implementation and monitoring.

The next step for the Federal M inister of Education is to approve the Consultative Document (HESC,
2011). The HESC w ill consult w ith stakeholders, examine current qualifications, implement key pilot
projects w ith universities, TVET institutions and schools, and set up a communications strategy and a
database to record qualifications and register institutions.
M AIN SOURCES OF INFORM ATION
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Qualifications Framew ork to Enhance the Quality of Education. (A compilation of
contributions from the class of 2012). Cape Tow n, University of the Western Cape, South
Africa).
ENQF Taskforce. 2008. Conceptual Framew ork for the Development of the Ethiopian National
Qualifications Framew ork (ENQF). (Taskforce Document prepared by the ENQF Taskforce
appointed by the M inistry of Education under the Guidance of the ESD Planning and Policy
Analysis Department w ith Technical assistance from the South African Qualifications
Authority, SAQA). Addis Ababa, M oE.
Higher Education Strategy Center. 2011., Ethiopian National Qualifications Framew ork Strategy
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M inistry of Education. 2004. Higher Education Systems Overhaul: Re-port of the Committee of
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