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RELIGION

THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

PICTURES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

BRIEF HISTORY

RETURN OF THE COLLEGE & REOPENING

THE CAMPUS

AIMS OF THE COLLEGE

THE CURRICULUM

RESPONSIBILITIES

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRANCE

CONTRIBUTION OF THE COLLEGE IN MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT

FUTURE PLANS

NOTE: SOURCE OF THE TEXT

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BRIEF HISTORY

The Theological College of the Holy Trinity grew out of a school founded in the year 1942 by His Imperial Majesty, Haile Sellassie I. Its purpose was to provide sound religious and secular education to clergy of, as well as to those intending to become workers in and for, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. What began first as an institution at the level of an elementary school was later expanded to include the secondary level with instruction through grade twelve, preparing candidates for a special examination equivalent to the Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate Examination.

The College division was inaugurated on 5^th October 1960, at a special service in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. With the establishment of the Haile Sellassie I University on 18^th December 1961, the elementary section of the institution was eliminated and the Theological College of the Holy Trinity became one of the chartered units of this first National University of Ethiopia. The curriculum prescribed by the Faculty Council of the University became effective in the Theological College at the beginning of the 1963-64 academic year.

The institution consisted of the secondary school section, a teacher training program, and the college division. The teacher training program was dropped in 1964 and the secondary school section began a phase-out in the 1967-68 academic year. It was hoped that the school's 12 grade would continue as a feeder institution of the College in close collaboration with the Laboratory School of the Faculty of Education.

The College was greatly affected by the political upheaval of the 1970s. Due to the uncertainty of their employment opportunities and due to lack of commitments on the part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the students chose the option of being transferred to other faculties of Addis Ababa University, and this was granted by the then authorities of the University. As a consequence the de facto closure of College was silently accepted and the teaching and other staff were absorbed into other institutions, the premises were given to the Science Faculty for use of its programs and as the consequence the Theological College remained non-functional for eighteen years.

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THE RETURN OF THE COLLEGE AND REOPENING

However, the Transitional Government of Ethiopia was gracious and equitable enough to return the premises of the Holy Trinity Theological College to its rightful owner, the Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahido Church in response to the ceaseless request of His Holiness Abune Paulos Patriarch of EOTC, Archbishop of Axum and Echegue of the see of St. Teklehaymanot.

Consequently the College was returned to the Church and after a year of preparation it was reopened in 1995 (1987 E.C.) with 12 academic staff-members and 150 students, 50 in degree and the rest in diploma programs.

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THE CAMPUS

The 1-hectare campus is located north of the Holy Trinity Church and the Parliament building in the Arat Kilo area which is of great historical, administrative, and business importance. It is beautifully landscaped with different types of plants and trees. The buildings are a mixture of old and new designs. The beautiful administration building which predates the Italian invasion in 1935 was said to have been used as the center for fighting slavery and it is said that the Law of the Abolition of Slavery was singed  in this building. The classrooms are remnants of Italian architecture.

The dormitories, the dining hall and the assembly hall depict modern design emphasizing utility and economy of space usage. The garden on the north end of the campus is well kept and manicured. There is an ample space, in the center of the Campus, for sport and other extracurricular activities.

An important and primary task for the new administration of the College will be a study into the origins of each building and to name it according to its background history.

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AIMS OF THE COLLEGE

The ultimate aim of the Theological College of the Holy Trinity is the development of mature and conscientious persons who will make significant contributions as witnesses to the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian faith and source of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian knowledge at the college level against the background of Ethiopia's spiritual and theological heritage. More specifically the College will train both young and adult students for the service of God, in and through the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as clergymen, religious and moral teachers, theologians, missionaries, and a laity imbued with intelligent understanding of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian faith and the foundation of morals. It will conduct continuing education programs to strengthen the capacity of the clergy and other religious workers in administering church and religious affairs and to provide the laity with relevant and profound religious knowledge within the context of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The College will prepare selected graduates for higher studies in theological fields, both in Ethiopia and abroad. It will also be a center of research and advanced theological and ecclesiastical learning for all Oriental Orthodox Churches in general and for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in particular.

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THE CURRICULUM

Through regular, evening and Kiremt (summer) classes, the College will offer baccalaureate, diploma, and certificate programs to fulltime and part-time students. The College will award Bachelor of Theology, Diploma of Theology, and Certificate in Church Management and Administration.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Holy Synod:

The Holy Synod has the ultimate authority over the Holy Trinity Theological College.

- Executive Board:

Executive Board is accountable to the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church.

- The Dean of the College:

The Dean, appointed by the Patriarch, shall be accountable to the Executive Board and shall be responsible for the academic and administrative affairs of the College.

- Public Relations & Development :

Public relations and development head is accountable to the Dean of the College.

- Audit Services Head:

The audit services head is accountable to the Dean of the College and is responsible for periodic audits regarding incomes and expenditures and administrative measures and submits reports to the Dean.

- Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs:

The Deputy Dean for Academic affairs is accountable to the Dean and is responsible for all academic matters.

- Deputy Dean for Administration:

The Deputy Dean for administrative affairs is accountable to the Dean and is responsible for all administrative affairs.

- Registrar:

The registrar shall be accountable to the Dean of the College and he is generally responsible for admission and student records.

- Budget & Finance :

Under the general guidance of the Deputy Dean for administration, the finance head is responsible for the preparation of the budget as well as the financial management of the College.

- Personal Services:

Under the general guidance of the Deputy Dean for administration, the head of the personnel services is responsible for all personnel matters.

- General Services:

Under the general guidance of the Deputy Dean for administration, general services head is responsible for overall services to be rendered.

- Research & Documentation:

Under the general guidance of the Deputy Dean for academic affairs, the head for research and documentation is responsible for all research and documentation activities.

- Academic Commission:

The academic commission consists of the heads of the research and documentation, the librarian, the head of the regular program and the head of the continuing education and is accountable to the Deputy Dean for academic affairs.

- Library:

The head of library, in cooperation with other academic commission members, is responsible for the acquisition of the required text and reference books and is accountable to the Deputy Dean for academic affairs.

- Regular Program :

The head of the regular program is responsible for the course contents of the subjects taught and the proper running of the programs in cooperation with academic commission members and the Dean.

- Continuing Education:

The head of the continuing education is responsible for the preparation of the course contents of the subjects taught in cooperation with other academic commission members and is, thus, accountable to the Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRANCE

All degree candidates of the regular program must have taken the ESLCE and must have passed at least five subjects including English and Mathematics and must satisfy the special requirements of the College by taking the special test and other special criteria.

Evening and Kiremt degree program candidates must satisfy criteria similar to those of regular students.

Regular diploma candidates must have completed secondary education and pass in English and Mathematics at C level in the ESLCE. They must also satisfy the special requirements of the College: passing a special test and satisfying special criteria.

Evening and Kiremt diploma program candidates must satisfy similar criteria as those of the diploma candidates.

Regular certificate candidates must have thorough church education and some knowledge of English and Mathematics. They must also satisfy the special requirements of the College.

Evening and Kiremt candidates must satisfy similar requirements as the regular certificate students.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE COLLEGE IN MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT

Since its inception as an elementary school in 1942 this institution has contributed significantly in manpower development to the historic Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The current Patriarch, His Holiness Abune Paulos, many of the Archbishops, Bishops, scholars and administrators working at present in different departments and branches of the Church are products of this college.

After its reopening, the college has graduated 67 candidates in degree, 253 in diploma and 759 in certificate programs. All these are serving the church in different capacities.

Currently there are 12 instructors among whom, two with PH.D., three with M.TH., another three with B.D. and four with high qualifications from traditional Bible Commentary and Poetry schools. In the regular program there are 120 students; the extension division has 200 adults of both sexes.

FUTURE PLANS

The College has its own short and long range plans. In its short term plan it envisages to ...

- Renovate the old buildings and the campus

- Send some of its outstanding graduates abroad for further studies with the view of promoting Ethiopianization program in staff development

- Strengthen the extension program which was started at the beginning of the second semester of 2001

- Establish a research center.

Its long range plan consists of ...

- Building a new library and a clinic

- Raising its standard to post graduate level

- Seeking affiliation with Addis Ababa University

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