Ministry ,improves curricula of different grades

The Ministry of Education announced that it has revised and improved the old curricula of different grades during the completed budget year.

International and Public Relations Department Head with the Ministry, Desalegn Samuel, told WIC that it has accordingly revised and improved the textbooks of grades seven and eight as well as 11 and 12.

Desalegn said the ministry has also prepared a new curriculum for older students so as to enable them complete grades one to four in three years.

The ministry has also distributed language proficiency tests for grades three to eight students whose mother tongue is not Amharic, and aptitude tests for preparatory students of grades 11 and 12, he added.

The head said the old kindergarten curriculum has been distributed to the relevant bodies after improvement, evaluation and revision. The English language would subsequently be offered as a subject to children in kindergartens, Desalegn stated.

The reform and revision was required to integrate the development policy of the government, the current level of science and technology and the objective realities of the country. ( WIC )

Two billion birr allocated for rural roads in Afar

Over two billion Birr has been allocated to double rural roads coverage in Afar State in the next five years, the State Rural Roads Authority said.

Authority Manager Ali Mohamed told Ethiopian News Agency recently that over 2,200 kms of roads would be constructed in the state in the next five years in a bid to increasing the road coverage in the state to 57 percent from existing 21 per cent.

Ali said the construction of over 1,940 Kms of new road and seven medium size bridges as well as the maintenance of 280 Kms of road would be carried out. ( ENA)

Institute prepares integrated development plan for five towns

The Federal Urban Planning Institute said it has finalized integrated development plan for five towns during the concluded budget year.

Institute Director Teka Halefom told WIC that the five towns whose integrated development plan has been finalized are Assosa, Bahirdar, Awassa, Burayu and Adigrat. The plan for Assosa town was handed over to the state government.

Teka further said the designing of strategic plan has been carried out for Gambella, Dubti, Yabello and Hagereselam towns, adding that their integrated development plan will be finalized in the coming budget year.

According to Teka, the integrated development plan contains projects that enable to solve key problems of the towns through analyzing objective realities of the towns and identifying major issues. ( WIC)

African leaders, foreign ministers to arrive here to take part in PSC launching

African heads of state and government as well as foreign ministers will arrive here beginning Sunday to take part in the official launching of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) on May 25, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

The AU Peace and Security Council will officially be launched here in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, the Press, Information and Documentation General Directorate announced.

Ethiopia has been making preparations to colorfully host the launching of the PSC, it said.

Accordingly, Prime Minister of Lesotho as well as Foreign Ministers of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana are expected to arrive here in Addis later on Sunday.

The Pan African Parliament, which is one of the principal bodies of the AU, was colorfully launched here in Addis a few months ago. (ENA)

Ministry preparing emergency rehabilitation action plan

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that it is preparing an emergency and rehabilitation action plan with a view to preventing negative impact on the agricultural sector due to flooding.

The ministry also called on professionals in flood-hit areas of the nation to provide professional assistances to farmers to enable them develop early-maturing crops.

Ministry Crop Development department representative Mathewos Hunde told ENA Sunday that preparing the action plan would have crucial role in providing lasting solution to flooding and other natural disasters.

The representative said that teams drawn from the ministry have been dispatched to the flood-hit areas with a view to assessing the magnitude of the crisis. ( WIC)

GSE earmarks over 18mln birr to conduct research, identify prospects

The Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) disclosed that it has earmarked over 18 million birr budget to conduct research and identify prospects so as to properly utilize the country's mineral, energy and water resources.

Public Relations senior expert with the organization, Mesfin Haile told WIC today that the study and research to be carried out in eight states across the nation, including the Addis Ababa and Diredawa Administrations, would enable to identify the type and volume of resources in the sectors, prepare map and disseminate information to local and foreign investors.

The senior expert said GSE has designed and implemented 13 projects in the just-concluded budget year and most of those have become successful.

Mesfin stated that a geological map with a descriptive report covering 16,500 square kilometers of land in Harrari state and Jimma zone of Oromia state has also been readied in the budget year. ( WIC)