Government prepares for student national service rollout

Ethiopia’s government is preparing to implement a mandatory one-year national service programme for university students, Education Minister Berhanu Nega announced during a recent address to parliament, writes Taha Sakr for DNE.

The initiative, dubbed “Ethiopia University Service”, will require students to serve in various regions of the country before completing their final year of study. The government says the programme is intended to provide practical experience, foster maturity, and strengthen students’ sense of national duty.

Berhanu said the rollout could begin as early as next year or by 2019 in the Ethiopian calendar (2026/2027 Gregorian calendar), depending on readiness. He framed the plan as a revival of a pre-1970s initiative in which students contributed a year of service in rural provinces, helping to bridge the gap between academia and the needs of the nation.
Full report on the DNE site