Hawassa University hosts a National Conference on Enhancing Reading Culture for Quality Education and Research.
The Institute of Policy and Development Research (IPDR) and Library and Documentation Services Directorate (LDSD) in collaboration with the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer (VPRTT) organizes a National Conference on the theme’ Enhancing Reading Culture for Quality Education and Research on May 27, 2021, at Hawassa University.
Prof. Tesfaye Semela, IPDR Director and Chairperson of the organizing committee, said that a commitment to relevant and quality education is a commitment to human dignity. Equipping the Ethiopian future generation with foundational literacy skills takes a central place in paving the way for the country to plan, finance, and implement solutions to its development challenges. This conference has a rationale of understanding the status of reading culture in our society and reading performance of learners in a school context and secondly the conference is a platform to sensitize all stakeholders on the role and significance of reading culture to the overall development of the society and the country at large.
Dr. Tafese Matiwos, Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer, in his welcoming speech, said that Hawassa University as one of the pioneering higher learning institutions in Ethiopia is mandated to provide quality education, carry out relevant problem-solving research and engage in community services provision and the Vice President Office for Research and Technology Transfer is very much committed in supporting research and project ideas that help to improve the reading and writing culture of students, teachers and researchers.
Dr. Fiseha Getachew, Vice President for Academic Affairs, during his opening speech said that currently as depicted in our 10 years strategic plan we gave more attention to program relevance, and priority is given to enhance quality education and research. We want also that our students need to have the required learning experience during their stay on campuses. He further added we need to make sure that our students attained the required intellectual, mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities so that he or she is capable of facing the demands and challenges of everyday life upon graduation. In this regard, enhancing and promoting the reading culture of our society at large and our students, in particular, plays a crucial role.
After the keynote speaker, Prof. Darge Wole from Addis Ababa University presented and shared his vast experiences and knowledge on the issue, different researchers presented their researches and the participants made valuable discussions under the raised issues in the presentations.
