Overview

 

The science of biology deals with the systematized acquisition of knowlwdge on living things and their environments in its basic aspects and the use of such knowledge to benefit mankind in its applied aspects. Biological issues are at the heart of the daily life and survival of humans irrespective of differences in culture, geographical location, wealth and levels of advancement. Biological principles are practiced ranging from primitive societies that use crude ways of getting food and other survival requirements from the immediate environmnet through hunting and gathering to the most advanced societies that use cutting edge technologies to solve problems that challenge the survival and wellbeing of mankind. Research in climate change, biofuel production, rapid propagation of crops, gene therapy and cloning are examples of the latter category.

 

The relevance and importance of biolgical teaching and research to Ethiopia is thus apparent. As a developing nation aspiring to achieve overall advancement, the country has the option to combine both low and high level knowledge in biology to benefit its society particularly in the areas of food security, health, environmental protection and climate change. The country promotes the science of biology through advanced level university study and research. This document is the Harmonized Curriculum of Biology teaching for the Bachelor Degree Program across the various universities Nationwide.

 

Before the compilation of the present curricilum, each university had its own curriculum for the Biology Bachelor Degree Program and other science disciplines. Apparently, such curricula lacked uniformity that could potentially lead to discripancies in quality standard of graguates. Thus, a task force was assigned to harmonize the different curricula from all the universities of the country and comeup with a unified version which led to preparation of the current curriculum.

 

During the harmonization, course lists, credit hours, codes, descriptions, and contents across universities were campared and scrutinized. Based on such comparative scrutiny curricular contents were re-set for the harmonized version. Curricular contents which were most common among universities were retained while those found to be restricted to few were abandoned. Also an attempt was made to incorporate useful contents and curriculum formats from the Bologna Process Universities of Europe. Such curricula were particularly useful in suggetsing options for field specializations.

 

The draft verson of the curriculum was presented in a National Conference and deliberated upon by experts and stakeholders and representatives from all universities the country. Feedbacks from the conference were incorporated as appropriate to finalize this harmonized curriculum which is going to be used by all universities of the country.