By Yohannes Gebresellasie (Ph.d) (8 August 2014 )
During the old days, It was unthinkable to have a higher learning institute like a university in Adigrat. Few student from elementary school and, there was only one high school (Agazi school) in Adigrat had to go to Mekelle, Addis Abeba and elsewhere in the country to pursue higher education including even high school education. Things have changed now and for good. We have Adigrat University in Adigrat ; and, what a success story.
Adigrat University is one of the newly established universities in the country. It is only four years old. This new university is established in a very splendid, environmentally friendly and specious space to the right of the road from Adigrat to Zalambesa. The university is equipped with new buildings built in wide open space to the satisfaction of the university community. The university is only a walking distance from Adigrat city; therefore, the university community has integrated with and has become part and parcel of the Adigrat community at large.
Adigrat university held its first graduation day on the 19th of July 2014 and what a graduation and what a celebration it was! It was simply incredible, momentous, splendid and historic least to say. Thousands of people came from every corner of Adigrat, from the rest of Tigray and even from overseas as well to be part of this historic graduation day and be part of this historic celebration.
The people of Adigrat have an impeccable reputation for receiving and hosting their guests in a special way. They are well known for making their guests happy and delightful. They are well known all over the country for their hospitality, good manner and unreserved kindness, smiling face; and so is their trade mark (The delicious TEHLO, BERELE MESS, SEWA and offcorse BELES A LA ADIGRAT. They are also known for their traditional music and dance accompanied with MASINKO. They did it again on this graduation day as part of the celebration of the first graduation of Adigrat University. What was truly remarkable was that amongst the graduating class, the majority were female graduates. Further, amongst those who were awarded medals and certificates of very great distinction, great distinction and other honors, majority were again female graduates. This exceptional and extremely extraordinary experience has never happened elsewhere thus far; and thus, it is by and large unique and unprecedented as such a phenomenon has not happened in any other university anywhere else at home or abroad that I know of. This also shows that Adigrat University has from the very outset given top priority and put more focus towards Gender issues and affirmative action; thus, this shows that the university has encouraged and motivated female students to compute, to excel and outshine their male counterparts within the university. This is healthy, encouraging and noble initiative by the university and needs to be encouraged and needs to be continued.
A lesson or two can be drawn from Adigrat University that is pertinent in that regard to other universities and higher educational institutions alike. No wonder Adigrat University has been selected as the best university from the recently established universities in the country. WAY TO GO! Adigrat University, KEEP IT UP! Adigrat University.
At this point in time, it is important to acknowledge and give the deserving credit to the university administration, the staff and the whole university community for their perseverance, hard work and commitment to make Adigrat University truly remarkable. They deserve our appreciation. Many thanks and acknowledgement also goes to the Adigrat community at large for standing side by side with the university and for providing all the support to the university’s variety of endeavors. Further, the Adigrat community at large should also be acknowledged and get credit for making this historic and momentous graduation festivity truly significant and remarkable. The people of Adigrat are well known throughout the country and abroad for their hospitality and kindness: by the way, their trademark. They should be thanked and praised because they deserve it.
Finally, Adigrat University is new; therefore, it has a long way to go to be a center of excellence in variety of disciplines; and for that, the university needs financial, material and moral support. Tigrians and other Ethiopians from within the country and especially Tigrian Diasporas must join hands to provide the needed support to this new and vibrant university.
It is time to say: WE ARE WITH YOU ADIGRAT UNIVERSITY! WAY TO GO ADIGRAT UNIVERSITY! KEEP IT UP ADIGRAT UNIVERSITY.