African intellectuals trained with meager budget of their respective nations serves advanced countries, but Africa is recipient of aids failing to develop its resources.
African intellectuals trained with meager budget of their respective nations serves advanced countries, but Africa is recipient of aids failing to develop its resources.
Working on human capital development proves more essential in making meaningful difference for the well functioning of a social system than material development can do. However, in this globalized and competitive world, developing countries find it difficult to benefit from their limited pool of experts due to the migration of their ‘bests and brightest’.
This trend tend to pose unspeakable burden at a time when countries are badly in need of highly skilled manpower to realize their lofty socioeconomic goals.
It is natural that there is huge migration of scholars for various reasons and human capital flight is not a problem by itself , but its consequences could be damaging if spiral out of control, particularly on developing countries that have limited pool of trained manpower. On the other hand, the phenomena of brain drain have various advantages for countries that have large numbers of skilled manpower working on other countries in terms remittance.
Brain drain has an advantage for the recipient countries while it has repercussion effects on countries losing their educated workforce. But on the other hand, there are ways that a country can benefit from the trend in terms remittance. Even in some countries the remittance is greater than their national export earnings. However for a country like Ethiopia the loss tilts to be by far much greater than the gains.
The search for better life continues to lead to upward brain drain trajectory costing countries dearly and resulting in short supply of well educated professionals. Throwing their full weight to all-round development, countries such as Ethiopia are the one that loses most. But it is the developed nations that make most out of it by taking senior scholars from the less developed ones without investing a penny on them.
There are pulling and pushing factors that cause brain drain to occur. Besides the situation in their country of origin, the status of developed countries is also a major factor in alluring the professionals to migrate, said Dr. Yohannes Gebreselassie Ethiopian Diaspora Association Board Deputy Chair who had lived many years abroad.
Advanced countries use every mechanism to recruit reputable professionals from developing nations, in contrast to the approach they adopted on ordinary migrants. However, it is the countries of origin that pumped huge sums of money to educate the professionals.
“It is the recipient countries that benefit most out of the trend. Countries that see their educated people leaving territory has splashed millions of cash to get them educated, this is really unfair,” he added.
One of the consequences of the outflow of highly educated Ethiopians is that the number of health professionals working in the other countries is almost equal to those serving in the country, which is a real damage to the health sector, said Dr Gemechis Mamo, President of Ethiopian Medical Association.
“The country is losing its senior researchers and professionals from the most essential sectors including agriculture that are foundations of the nation’s development,” stated Dr. Gemechis.
Diaspora Affairs General Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Atenfau for his part said that many more people are migrating to other countries in search of better life as the world is becoming more and more globalized. Though this is true in Ethiopia’s case, in fact, considerable numbers of educated people are also making their way back home unlike previous times.
“However, we may still witness increment in the number of professionals migrating from Ethiopia through the passage of time, as the country is intensively producing large number of skilled manpower,” he stressed.
“The government should encourage professionals inside the country to stay and serve by addressing the bureaucracies they face in different institutions.”
“Now, we are in the age of technology. There are latest technologies that allow the experts to train or deliver their knowledge without coming here. If truth is to be told, there are many opportunities that professionals in the Diaspora can contribute to the nation’s socioeconomic developments if they have willingness to do so,” says Dr. Yohannes.
There are many Ethiopian scholars involved in consulting projects and developing courses for higher learning institutions. Based in London, a group of 70 professors have formed Ethiopian Doctoral and Masters Degree Academy that advises Ethiopian students. In another instance, a team of 50 professors based in New York , USA have also signed Memorandum of Understanding to help the Adama and Addis Ababa Science and Technology Universities, adds Demeke.
“It is really hard to quantify their contributions. Presently we are trying to organize consultation forum through our missions and embassies to find the best way for them to deliver their knowledge and experiences.”
The Diaspora should not necessarily be relocated to Ethiopia. There are many ways that they could contribute their share without coming here. They may either advise MA and PHD students or can give guest lecturers in Ethiopia, underscored Dr. Yohanes on his part.
There is no one size fits all and one time solution to the problem. It requires systematic action ranging from policy-orientation from the side of the government to developing strong sense patriotism the professionals.
This is a problem that the country should panic about and give more attention to as its lofty economic targets could not be realized without the engagement of skilled manpower.
“If everything is good to work here, I think an Ethiopian with a reasonable sense and rational thinking will not choose to remain in foreign lands. But there are issues that need to be seriously considered by the government, the individuals and all concerned bodies,” said Dr. Yohanes.
Fonte: All Africa – 01/05/18
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