Ethiopia: Mekelle University Asks Education Ministry to Assign Students, Says Six of Its Seven Campuses Remain Operational

What the report says

Mekelle University has asked Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education to assign students to the institution, saying six of its seven campuses are still operating and can provide safe and effective instruction, according to Addis Standard via AllAfrica. The university said its request was sent in a 14 September 2026 letter and was a response to a ministry communication about the status of its Quiha Meles Technology Campus and the placement of students from universities in Tigray.

The ministry had announced on 14 September that students enrolled at universities in Tigray would be temporarily moved to other public universities because of the region’s current situation and safety concerns. Education Minister Berhanu Nega made the announcement in Addis Ababa during a discussion with students who had come to the ministry after being unable to resume their studies.

Mekelle University said the Quiha campus has not been available since 2021 and was heavily damaged during the 2020-2022 war. It added that the site was later used first as a rehabilitation center and then for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration program after the 2022 Pretoria ceasefire agreement, citing the National Rehabilitation Commission.

The university said it has continued teaching and research through its other campuses and has asked authorities to support the return of the Quiha site. The ministry did not say which universities would receive the reassigned students or how long the temporary arrangement would last. The broader issue is significant because education access in Tigray has remained disrupted amid continuing concern about damage to schools and university facilities in the region.