Federal education officials have issued a stern warning to private colleges, where a large number of institutions are at risk of losing their permits if they fail to meet tough new standards introduced under a 2024 Licensing Re-Registration Directive.

Imposing a tight deadline, officials of the federal Education & Training Authority (ETA) have given colleges six months to comply or face closure.

The crackdown, announced at a press briefing last week at the Ministry of Education, up at Arat Kilo, comes after growing concerns over the quality and regulation of private higher education. According to Hiwot Assefa, CEO of Higher Education Licensing at ETA, the directive was designed to establish a uniform licensing system and ensure that authorities have accurate data on institutions operating in the sector.

The new directive represents a major shift for colleges that, for years, have operated with relatively loose oversight. The changes require private universities to own or rent entire buildings dedicated solely to education. Henceforth, they will no longer be permitted to share facilities with other businesses. Institutions are also required to employ doctoral holders as instructors and administrators, and they should deliver tangible results; at least one-third of students need to pass the national exit exam.

Of the 375 private institutions expected to re-register nationwide, only 290 submitted applications last year, while 85 chose to withdraw from the process altogether, transferring their students to other institutions. In the capital, 75 institutions, 112 campuses, and 556 programs have successfully met the first registration requirement. However, the results of field inspections proved disappointing for regulators. After three rounds of assessments, only three institutions, three campuses, and 17 academic programs were found to meet all the requirements for full accreditation.

"The first round of field evaluation yielded shocking results," Hiwot told reporters. "Many institutions failed to meet even the minimum requirements.”

Consequently, 25 institutions that had made partial progress were granted a one-year grace period to address shortcomings. Another 62 institutions received a six-month extension, but with the caution that non-compliance would result in the loss of their licenses.

Private colleges have pushed back, voicing alarm over what they say are unrealistic deadlines and impractical requirements. According to Tefera Gebeyehu, general manager of the Ethiopian Private Higher Education Institutions Association (EPHEIA), the standards were simply unattainable within the provided time frames. He could find it difficult to see the feasibility of colleges offering health programs, building their own hospitals, which is now a requirement, within a year.

“The directive is unachievable,” he argued. “Some rules do not directly improve teaching quality yet remain mandatory.”

Tefera also criticised the process for its lack of consultation, urging education authorities to reconsider some of the tougher requirements.

But education officials have refused to back down. Minister of Education Berhanu Nega (Prof.) insisted that quality, not protecting underperforming institutions, was his government’s main concern. He claimed that the Ministry had consulted with private schools over the past three years, and those that failed to improve should not expect to stay open.

“From now on, it will not be possible to set up something on a rented floor and call it a college,” he said. “Ethiopia cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past three decades.”

The Minister also dismissed fears that the closures could trigger a national crisis.

“Our concern is that students shouldn't be awarded degrees without receiving proper education,” he said.

The stricter requirements have triggered worries among college leaders, who say the reforms could drive some institutions out of business and limit access to higher education for students in Addis Abeba, where demand is high. Zelealem Belay, representing Yared Industrial, Technology & Business College, found the deadlines too short for most colleges to realistically comply.

“By setting standards that cannot be met, are we not depriving students of the opportunity to learn?” he asked.

Despite pledges by the Minister that public universities would also be held to the same standards and face closure if they failed to comply, for some, the changes seem to set the bar higher than even they can reach.

Samson Zerihun of Zemen Postgraduate College acknowledged the need for re-registration but questioned the practicality of some rules. He is worried that a dean’s office, required to be between 20Sqm and 40Sqm would force many colleges to construct entirely new facilities. He also attributed the challenge of recruiting enough full-time PhD instructors to the small number of qualified professionals in Ethiopia and the reluctance among academics to accept full-time contracts.