The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which works through the Japanese government, has constructed ten new secondary schools in the Southern Nations Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR). They also have expanded ten others. The schools cost 216.9 million birr and will help improve education for 20,000 students.
The project took three years to complete. The schools, which come equipped with laboratories, computers, play grounds and toilets, are located Welkite, Halaba, Tiya, Selte, Aleta Wendo, Gamo Goffa, and Arba Minch.
The local inhabitants were happy about the new and expanded schools. Dr. Eshetu Kebede is the head of the SNNP Educational Bureau. He spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the Tiya Secondary School expansion project last Tuesday. He said that the government is working as a team to make sure that everyone in the country has an equal opportunity at a good education. He called on the public to make the most of education.
“We sincerely thank the Japanese government for building the schools. Educating our children is a key to development. Strong schools mean a strong economy,” he said.
Ke Yamanda, Chief Representative of JICA Ethiopia, said the new schools are a sign of productive cooperation between Japan and Ethiopia.
At the inauguration ceremony certificates were given to JAICA, the Japanese Embassy and Rotary Club which also played a role in constructing the schools.
“A long time ago, Ethiopian students had to travel long distances to attend school but because of the work that has been done recently, education is close by for them which helps the nation develop. The Ethiopian government looks forward to working more closely with JAICA to open additional schools,” he said.
JAICA Ethiopia has been a part of movement to improve access to basic and secondary education by building more than 50 primary and secondary schools in rural areas of Oromia, SNNPR and Amhara regional states. Soon the organization plans a similar project in Tigray.

Workers in Ethiopia are being exploited by big corporations, especially in the textile industry, according to the International Trade Union Confederation(ITUC)
General Secretary of ITUC Sharan Burrow, visited Addis Ababa this week and held talks with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn about the challenges workers face when it comes to wages and setting wage floors.
“When you have women, who are earning as little as USD 20 a month, that is amongst the lowest wages in the world. It is a poverty wage and I can tell you that the textile sector can pay four times that and not undermine the competitive base of Ethiopia,” said Burrow.
She further stated that the notion that countries will not be able to attract foreign investment if a minimum wage is implemented is false and there are plenty of countries serving as examples of this.
“If you take countries that are wealthy, such as Sweden for example, they were poor in the 1890s, they built a social protection floor, a minimum living wage, invested in jobs and now they are among the most stable countries in the world, their growth is better than any other western country.”
“We can work with the governments of Africa and particularly with this government given your Prime Minister’s commitment to inclusive growth to the rights and dignity of working people, we can work to build a development model that ends exploitation,” Burrow said.
She also said that the African Union needs to step up and support an African wage floor. “It is not the same wage in every country, it’s a wage where people can live in dignity. But if the African Union leaders don’t demand a development model for Africa that ends the exploitation that is founded on wages on which people can live with dignity and a social protection floor, then we won’t change the rules to allow African people to be respected and valued in the way they should be,” she added.
The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Abdulfetah Abdulah stated that the government will be setting a minimum wage in the future.
“We need to be competitive to attract Foreign direct investment and we need to create employment. The government wants to and has a plan to set a minimum wage, but it needs to be based on research, and it has to be one that puts into consideration the lifestyle of people, the country’s growth and capacity to pay,” the Minister said.
Regarding questions about the conduct of some foreign companies especially from Asia, that have been accused of unfair employment treatment and violations of employees right to association, the Minister stated that, “There are a lot of issues but it is not something that can be resolved in one day, it takes time. In different regions there is labor inspection work being done, our biggest focus is making sure that proclamations are implemented in a way they should be to be able to close some of the gaps. Educating and awareness creation work is also being done.”

Mogle Bottled Water Manufacturing, which began production two years ago, is building a new factory which will enable it to produce18,000 bottles of water per hour. The company was started via an investment of 200 million birr in Sebeta 25km southwest of Addis Ababa. It leased a 13,000sqm plot of land from the Oromia Regional State to construct a plant on 9,322sqm.
They currently produce 32,000 bottles per hour and the expansion project, which takes up another 3,000sqm of land, will give them the capacity of producing 50,000 bottles per hour. It will also create job opportunities for 50 people.
Their water comes from a 186 meter deep bore hole at Mogle Mountain.
Eneyew Zeleke,Managing Director of Mogle Bottled Water Manufacturing told Capital that they are in the process of getting machines for the expansion project in order to begin production in August.
“We are in the process of bringing the machines from China to the factory, which is currently under construction; Mogle Mountain prides itself on being an active member of the local community. The company’s decision to expand here in Sebeta signals our long-term commitment to the region, and we look forward to continued success in the years ahead.’’
One Water currently sells bottled water in: 0.4 liter, 0.6liter, one liter, 1.5liter and two bottles, as well as 20liters. The company is eyeing distribution in Addis Ababa and other regional towns.
They have 400 workers and have plans to export their product to east African countries.
He added that company is producing most of their materials here which has allowed them to save 40 percent of their foreign currency. “We built the factory in Welete, in Oromia Zone, now we only import a tiny plastic ball from Asia we don’t waste time importing other things and we save hard currency.”
Recently DQS Holding gave ISO food safety and good standard certificates to One Water which is owned by Bedru Kider a notable coffee exporter.