Challenges and Prospects of Space Education and Outreach Activities in Ethiopia
- Paper number
IAC-17,E1,5,13,x41404
- Author
Ms. Beza Tesfaye Zewdie, Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), Ethiopia
- Year
2017
- Abstract
Education in Ethiopia is mostly connected with the advent of Christianity in the early 330 A.D. The formal education program in higher education begun around 1961 with the opening of Addis Ababa University but undergo very slow process incorporating space education and related science and technology fields as a part of the curriculum. However, in 2004 with the establishment of Ethiopian Space Science Society new space era has emerged. In the past 12 years several developments has encountered in space education development, curriculum planning for elementary and high school class; community outreach programs, and space policy development. One of the major achievements is the establishment of Entoto Observatory and Research Center (the first one in its kind in East Africa), expansion of academic institutions, and research centers. Extensive work done by Ethiopian Space Science Society in collaboration with different governmental bodies; institution and companies; local and International NGOs and other different stake holders to promote and integrate space science, space technologies and applications for sustainable social and economic development of the country, has developed the need of educated human resource. In the effort of capacity building, currently there are student studying Astronomy, Astrophysics, Physics, Space Science, Remote Sensing and different Satellite Communication and Engineering fields in masters and PhD levels in several universities across the country. This paper presents the progressive development of space education and outreach activities in Ethiopia, focusing the economic, social and political challenges encountered due to poor socio and economic development of the country; the achievements made despite all the challenge come across and prospect ahead. It will also discuss the role of outreach activities carried out to bring awareness among policy and decision makers and the general public.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)