Overview

The former Department of Educational Administration (EdAd) now Educational Planning and Management (EdPM), is a pioneer Department in the effort of professionalizing the field of Educational Administration in Ethiopia. Initially, the training of educational administrators was started in 1962 with the former Department of Elementary Education in the Faculty of Education. Following the restructuring of the faculty of education in 1978, the Department of Educational Administration was established as a full-fledged Department.

Since its establishment, the Department has been working in close association with the MoE and since the adoption of the federal system of government in Ethiopia; it has extended its relations to the Regional Education Bureaus. This is exemplified in the unique recruitment procedure in which Regions directly recruit candidates on a competitive basis. Though the Department makes the final selection, it makes utmost care to address the interests of the recruiting Regions. Moreover, the recent collaborations in offering diploma and degree programs in educational planning and management during the summer season by the sponsorship of several Regional States is a good example for working directly with the main stakeholders.

To meet new demands and make possible qualitative improvements, the department made program reviews in 1984, 1993, 2000, and 2008 involving MoE and Region Education Bureau Officials and experts, former graduates and students in the pipeline to provide feedback in the process. These evaluations led to many improvements in focus and program contents. The Ethiopian Educational Management Professionals Associations was established and then, registered and certified by the Ministry of Justice to support the development activities of the education sector in November 2010.

The Department has good attachment with IIEP/UNESCO, universities in the Netherlands and UK, other potential partners from universities in USA, Europe, and Africa. Keeping with current needs and trends, it is aiming to strengthen and diversify its programs, especially the graduate programs, strengthen its networking, research and student intake and services. Current student intake capacity of the Department is 120 in undergraduate and 175 in 6 postgraduate programs including the PhD program. In 2010/11, the department enrols a total of 565 students in both the undergraduate and postgraduate programs (253 in BA program, 551 in MA programs and 41 in the PhD program).