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Ethio-China Polytechnic College, located around
Kotebe in Yeka District, inaugurated the Confucius
Institute on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.
The institute, housed in the college, had already
been operational since October 2009, teaching
Chinese languages to 250 technical and vocational
students and teachers. The college, which rests on
23,000sqm, was constructed by SOGECOA, a Chinese
company, over five years starting in 2005.
It includes six two-story buildings which have 53
classrooms, five computer labs, 53 workshops, 50
offices, one library, one reading room and one
multifunctional hall. Constructing and equipping of
the building has cost 14 million dollars, so far.
The college equipment, which is going to be used in
its departments of computer science, electricity,
electronics, automotive, mechanical, textile and
garment, was imported from China.
Before the language school was opened, Ethiopian
teachers at the college, who went to China for
training, spent the first six months studying the
language. Now the language will be given at the
Confucius Institute not only for the teachers but
also for interested students.
Currently Chinese language and technology teachers
at the college are paid 1,200 dollars per month by
the Ethiopian government. The government plans to
provide locally trained Ethiopians with the
technological training that is now being given in
China, according to Wondwossen Kiflu state minister
of education.
At the inauguration ceremony, Li Weihong, Chinese
deputy minister of education, donated 40 pieces of
furniture for the language laboratory and 3,300
books for the library.
The college is assisted by Tianjin University of
Technology and Education, according to Zhai Fengjie,
director if the Confucius Institute.
Currently, it has 380 students. The education is
currently given free, but there will soon be a cost
sharing scheme, Brehanemeskel Kebede, vice dean of
the college and deputy director of the institute,
said.
The college is the only polytechnic school in
Ethiopia, which gives level five technical and
technological courses to technical and vocational
education and training (TVET) students. It expects
to eventually take up to 3,000 students when at full
capacity. |
Chinese languages are to be taught to Ethiopian teachers and
students
