External and public relations department head with the ministry, Desalegn Samuel told ENA on Friday that the overall education participation in Afar and Somali regional states has steadily been rising.

The pastoral and agro-pastoral areas, which had been suffering from lack of sufficient infrastructural development and socio-economic resources during the previous regimes, have been changed for the better since they have started enjoying self administration.

The overall education participation which had been only 13 and 10 percent in Somali and Afar regional states respectively, prior to 1991 have reached 38.6 and 22.2 percent in 2006/07 academic year.

The effort of registering all school age children launched during the beginning of the current academic year will enhance the primary education participation radically, he said.

The infrastructural development and expansion of basic education centers based on the prevailing situation in the areas have contributed a lot for enhancement of the overall education participation.

The primary education coverage in Afar and Somali regional states has reached 33.2 and 62.1 percent since a total of 1160 education centers were established in both states.

The head said the ministry has been supporting pastoral and agro-pastoral communities to design their own strategic plan in line with the prevailing situation in their respective environment.

The secondary education participation in Afar state reached to 6.8 percent while some 9912 students are in attendance at secondary education in Somali regional state.

With regard to preparatory education, 197 and 286 students are attending in Afar and Somali states, respectively, he said, adding special assistance has also been given to students who joined higher learning institutions.

R...2:30-3:30 pm

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