HIGA MODEL BOARDING SCHOOL

Over the past three decades, the Kambata Development Association (KDA) has implemented multi-sectoral projects, with education being one of its key focus areas. Until 2016, the Education Program prioritized expanding access, and through collaborative efforts of local actors, tremendous progress was achieved, as the number of high schools in the zone increased from just three at the time of KDA’s establishment to 45 today, with similar improvements in primary education. However, by 2017 stakeholders agreed that while access had improved, quality had declined, as reflected in low national and regional exam results. To address this, KDA launched the Education Ambassadorship initiative in 2016, mobilizing scholars, business leaders, government officials, and community figures to motivate students, recognize achievers, and highlight systemic challenges. This effort led to a 2017 panel discussion that inspired the “Quality and Result-Oriented Education” training, delivered by leading Ethiopian academics in partnership with Gogota Care, the Zonal Administration, and the Education Department, culminating in the launch of the Education Quality Improvement Project. A major outcome was the establishment of the Higa Model Boarding School, designed as a center of excellence where top-performing students are admitted through rigorous screening and nurtured in a supportive environment. What began as a modest initiative grew into a large movement uniting stakeholders and the wider community, ultimately driving significant improvements in examination performance across the zone, as evidenced by the remarkable results achieved by students of the Higa Model Boarding School within just two years of the project’s commencement.