INEQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR IDGHER EDUCATION IN ETIllOPIA: A CHALLENGE TO A PLURAL SOCIETY

Abstract

: Socio-economic and educational disparities exist
between various regions and social groups in Ethiopia. The
disparities in higher education opportunities between the sexes,
regions, and urbani rural locations in Ethiopia were investigated.
Also a brief assessment of the disparities in general education was
made. Data for over seven years, show that the most advantaged
groups are the males when compared with the females; Addis Ababa,
Eritrea, Tigray and Gojjam regions when compared with the rest of
the regions; and 10 major cities (Addis Ababa, Asmara, Dire Dawa
and Gonder being the top ones) when compared with the rest of the
country (rural locations). Their higher education admission ratios
were about 87% (males), 55% (4 regions), and 56% (urban)
respectively, while their population ratios in Ethiopia are only about
50%, 23% and 6% respectively. It is argued that though having
academic excellence and equity together might seem contradictory,
there is a need for the development of some measures which accommodate academic and socio-political standards ijregionally, ethnically and gender balanced socioeconomic development is expected in
Ethiopia.