ETHIOPIA & PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR
0369
Tutor Report
[This is a typical example of the regular reports all tutors had to submit]
ETHIOPIA - TUTOR REPORT - DAVID MERCER
VISIT 14 June to 26 June 1993
This visit went well. Almost all the students attended the formal lectures - which are now the format used (at the request of the students) rather than tutorials. It is still very reasonable to think, therefore, that our target of 10 MBA qualifications might be achievable - and our minimum figure of 5 MBAs looks very likely at this stage (with these students qualifying at the end of 1994).
We still a total of 23 students continuing with the programme, of whom 21 are still very actively involved - and the indications (at this early stage) are that at least 14 of these (10 second year and at least 3 first year) are likely to successfully complete courses this year. So far no students have definitely dropped out; most are doing some work - whereas by this time last year we already had a number of obvious drop-outs.
Number of Students Percentage
TOTAL 23 100%
Attending tutorials in June 21 91%
Having completed their first 1993 TMA 17 74%
for both courses (B884, B885)
As can be seen from the table above, with detailed attendances shown in the attached table, 21 students attended lectures on this visit. The members of Group 1 were, in general, unable to attend due to a high load of meetings (in preparation for the OAU summit in Cairo - starting at the end of the second week). Mulu was in hospital having a baby.
The main potential problem is still that posed by their very heavy workloads and the most obvious symptom of this is the difficulty in obtaining the input of TMAs on time. This was compounded by their lack of confidence in their own abilities in respect of B885 TMA02 (which they were tackling at too high a level) - but this was corrected by special sessions attended by most students. With their other (national) priorities still constantly looming it is understandable that there are delays in completing the TMAs.
The 1994 programme was agreed. Only two courses (B882 Creative Decision Making and B888 Manufacturing Management) will now be taught. None of the students who might have qualified to take the other course on offer (B886 Research Project) requested to do it - so this course will not be provided; and the resources will be switched to the other two courses (and this, in any case, represents a preferable teaching schedule for the students, with 3 visits for each course rather than only 2). The pattern of having early visits to start the students ahead of those in the UK does not seem to have helped; so the 1994 visits schedule will start in February.
In general, the facilities are working well, and Bisrat is doing an excellent job of chasing students. The only major problem is that the telephone is out of action, and has been so for more than a month - despite being chased by many people from the President's Office downwards! This, clearly, makes it very difficult for students to contact us - and may have reduced attendances; though Bisrat has another telephone elsewhere in the building to use for outgoing calls. A minor detail, easily coped with by myself but potentially problematic for inexperienced tutors, was that no arrangements had been made for my arrival!
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