A tit-for-tat has emerged between the Ministry of Education and Tigray’s regional state following the former’s decision to temporarily relocate university students from Tigray to other public institutions across the country.
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education has announced that it will temporarily transfer public university students from the Tigray Region to federal campuses across the country. In response, regional authorities in Tigray issued a formal statement opposing the decision.
Minister of Education Prof. Berhanu Nega stated that the temporary reassignments aim to ensure student safety and educational continuity amid regional security disruptions. To implement the policy, the Ministry launched a digital application portal allowing students to submit transfer requests remotely using their Fayda National ID numbers. Applicants are asked to provide their prior institution, academic year, and field of study before the September 18 deadline.
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Meanwhile, the Tigray Region Communication Affairs Bureau denounced the move, characterizing the transfer directive as “a deliberate campaign to systematically dismantle and close higher education institutions within the region.”
Regional officials called on university administrators, academics, local communities, and international bodies to reject the policy, asserting their commitment to maintaining higher education operations within Tigray’s borders.
So far, Mekelle University has requested student assignments from the Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education for, saying six of its seven campuses remain operational and capable of providing safe and effective education.
Federal officials maintain that the student reassignments are purely a protective measure intended to prevent academic disruption.
