Addis Abeba — Mekelle University has asked Ethiopia's Ministry of Education to assign students to the university, saying six of its seven campuses remain operational and capable of providing safe and effective education.
Current events summaries The university made the request in a letter dated 14 September 2026, responding to a ministry communication concerning the status of its Quiha Meles Technology Campus and the placement of students from universities in Tigray.
On 14 September, the Ministry of Education announced that students previously enrolled at universities in Tigray would be temporarily assigned to other public universities, citing the "current circumstances" in the region and the need to ensure their safety.
Social affairs news Education Minister Professor Berhanu Nega made the announcement during a discussion with students who had gathered at the ministry's premises in Addis Ababa after being unable to resume their studies because of the situation in Tigray.
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In its response, Mekelle University said Quiha Meles Technology Campus has not been available to the university since 2021. It said the campus sustained significant damage during the 2020-2022 war and was subsequently used as a rehabilitation center for people injured during the conflict.
Ethiopian politics analysis Following the signing of the 2022 Pretoria Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, the campus was used as one of the centers for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) program in Tigray, according to the university, which cited a letter from the National Rehabilitation Commission.
The university said it has continued teaching, research, community engagement and other activities through its six other campuses. It said the temporary unavailability of the Quiha campus has not compromised its capacity to provide quality education.
Discover morepoliticalEthiopian city guideWar & ConflictNews analysis reportsAddis Ababa tourismNewspaperspoliticsGeographic ReferenceLocal NewsNews Mekelle University also said it had intensified engagement with relevant authorities to facilitate the evacuation and return of the Quiha campus following receipt of the ministry's letter.
The university assured the ministry that its operational campuses remain safe, peaceful and conducive to learning and requested that students be assigned based on its current operational status and capacity.
The ministry also announced that students would not need to travel to its offices to register for the reassignment. An online registration portal was scheduled to be launched on the evening of 14 September, according to the announcement. Students were urged to complete the transfer form promptly, providing details of their previous university, academic year, and field of study.
State Minister Professor Kindeya Gebrehiwot and other senior ministry officials also responded to questions and provided clarifications during the meeting.
The announcement comes amid continuing concerns over the state of education in Tigray, where the regional Education Bureau has accused the Ethiopian government of intensifying attacks on schools and educational facilities as the region prepares for the 2026/27 academic year.
In a statement issued in Mekelle on 27 August, the bureau described a continuing "pattern of destruction" affecting schools, teachers, and students. It alleged that air and drone strikes during 2026 had destroyed classrooms, damaged educational equipment, and injured teachers and their families.
The bureau said an airstrike in January destroyed four classrooms and student drinking-water facilities at Zalaqme Primary School in Kola Tembien woreda, affecting 432 enrolled students. It also reported that a 10 August drone strike on Merewa General Secondary School in Raya Alamata woreda damaged four classrooms and educational equipment, potentially affecting more than 800 students.
According to the bureau, a 20 August airstrike on teachers' residential housing in Mekelle's Hawelti sub-city injured more than 14 teachers and family members and destroyed homes and household property. On 26 August, another drone strike reportedly hit Gejet General Secondary School in Seharti woreda, destroying classrooms and 35 computers supplied through the World Bank-supported General Education Quality Improvement Program for Equity, known as GEQIP-E or the 3R program. The school served approximately 500 students, the bureau said.
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The bureau further alleged that the attacks were intended to prevent the resumption of education in the region, describing them as part of a broader campaign of destruction that began during the Tigray war in 2020.
The regional bureau's allegations have not been independently verified. The Ministry of Education's announcement did not specify the universities to which students would be reassigned, the number of affected students, or how long the temporary arrangement would remain in place. AS
