AAU Institutional Repository (AAU-ETD)
Addis Ababa University Institutional repository is an open access repository that collects,preserves, and disseminates scholarly outputs of the university. AAU-ETD archives' collection of master's theses, doctoral dissertations and preprints showcase the wide range of academic research undertaken by AAU students over the course of the University's long history.
How to Submit Your Work
The repository contains scholarly work, both unpublished and published, by current or former AAU faculty, staff, and students, including Works by AAU students as part of their masters, doctoral, or post-doctoral research
- All AAU faculty, staff, and students are invited to submit their work to the repository. Please contact the library at your college.
You may contact digirep@aau.edu.et.with any questions about the repository
Colleges,Institutes in AAU-ETD
Select a college,institute to browse its collections.
Recent Submissions
A Study on the Implication of School Leadership and Change of Ownership on Institutional and Students’ Performance at Flipper International School
(Addis Ababa Univesity, 2025-09-01) Genet Alemayehu; Dejene Niguse
This qualitative case study investigated weather leadership changes and ownership transitions on the academic performance and school experience of lower secondary school students at Flipper International School. Over a three-year period (2022/23– 2024/25), the school experienced multiple shifts in leadership and ownership, prompting concern about institutional continuity and student outcomes. Data were collected from 17 staff members and 31 students through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Thematic analysis revealed eight major themes: leadership instability, operational disruption, declining teacher morale, weakened school culture, academic impact, communication deficits, stakeholder recommendations, and overall institutional effects. Findings indicated that frequent leadership transitions led to organizational uncertainty, reduced instructional consistency, diminished staff motivation, and student disengagement. Teachers reported experiencing change fatigue and lack of direction, while students expressed confusion and loss of trust in school leadership. Although some transformational leaders had a temporarily positive effect, the overall pattern pointed to negative consequences for the school community. Stakeholders consistently called for greater transparency, strategic planning, and participatory leadership models to mitigate the adverse effects of change. The study underscores the critical importance of leadership stability in sustaining school performance, enhancing morale, and safeguarding student learning, particularly during periods of institutional transition. It offers practical and policy oriented recommendations aimed at fostering long-term leadership development and collaborative governance in education. Keywords: leadership transitions, ownership change, student outcomes, teacher morale, school culture, transformational leadership, qualitative case study, educational leadership.
Examining IDPs Right to Education: The Case of Conflict-Induced IDPs in Adama, Oromia
(Addis Ababa University, 2024-09-01) Mustefa Defo; Girmachew Alemu
This thesis examines the protection of the right to education for IDPs resettled in Adama city following the 2017conflict in the Somali region of Ethiopia. Addressing the gap in literature, it focuses on the practical implementation of educational rights within this specific context. Using qualitative methods, such as doctrinal analysis and a case study, the research assesses how well the resettlement processes have delivered accessible, quality, and affordable education to IDPs. The thesis also evaluates government policies' effectiveness in safeguarding these rights. Findings highlight significant challenges including inadequate infrastructure, resource shortages, and lack of psychosocial support for trauma-affected students. Despite some progress, substantial gaps remain in ensuring the realization of IDPs’ right to education. The thesis concludes with recommendations to enhance policy frameworks, improve resource allocation, and boost coordination among stakeholders. This research contributes to the understanding of IDP protection in Ethiopia
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Melanoma among General Practitioners in Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2025-11-16) Dawit Ali; Tizita Yosef; Annisa Befekadu
Background:
Melanoma is a highly malignant and aggressive skin cancer that occurs due to melanocytes. For 5 years (until 2022) in Ethiopia there were 255 cases and 117 deaths. The early diagnosis provides high chances of survival. Although healthcare professionals play an essential role in melanoma diagnosis, knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) have some significant gaps such as a lack of confidence in diagnostic instruments and insufficient training. Nevertheless, there is no extensive research on knowledge, attitudes, as well as practices of healthcare professionals particularly in low resource communities such as Ethiopia.
Objective:
This paper among Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Melanoma among General Practitioners in Ethiopia, 2025.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was done at the hospitals (N=233 selected General practitioners of July 2025 to October 2025 GC). A structured questionnaire based on various literature was used to measure Knowledge, Attitude and practice of GP. Thereafter SPSS version 27 software package was used to analyze the data. The descriptive summary statistics was calculated, the findings were illustrated with the help of texts, tables, and charts.
Result:
Among the 237 GPs 233 of them responded, most were male (160, 68.7%) with a mean age of 29.51 ± 3 years. 187 (80.3%), had less than five years of work experience and 208 (89.3%) reported that they had not received any training related to performing a total body skin examination. While 154 (66.1%) demonstrated moderate knowledge of melanoma and 222 (95.3%) had a favorable attitude toward its diagnosis and treatment, 134 (57.5%) exhibited poor practice. There is positive correlation between years of professional experience and knowledge in our study. Male participants demonstrated significantly higher practice scores.
Conclusion:
This research found a significant gap in the positive attitudes and inadequacy of practical skills in caring of melanoma among general practitioners in Ethiopia. Whereas there was an average level of knowledge and a positive attitude was observed, more than half had poor clinical practice, which indicates a desperate need to increase training, especially on skin examination skills in order to achieve early detection and better patient outcomes.
Assessing Urban Design Practices and the Implementation Challenges of Urban Design Megaprojects in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2026-02-01) Muse Hayelemskel; Wondwossen Debebe
Urban design megaprojects in rapidly urbanizing cities often face urban design practice challenges that undermine their effectiveness, legitimacy, and social sustainability. In Addis Ababa, recent government led urban design megaprojects initiated in 2019, particularly the Shegern Maswab initiative, have raised concerns regarding prevailing urban design practices and implementation processes. This study assesses urban design practices and the implementation challenges of selected urban design megaprojects in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Using a case study method, the research integrates document review, semi-structured stakeholder interviews, field observations, survey data to capturing resident perceptions and outcomes of urban design interventions. The findings reveal systemic procedural weaknesses, including the commencement of construction prior to the completion of design documentation, politically driven time pressures, frequent on-site design modifications, and deviations from approved specifications and the Structural Plan, which collectively undermine spatial coherence, construction quality, and regulatory compliance. Public participation is largely symbolic and consultative, limiting stakeholder influence and resulting in persistent misalignment between design intentions and local needs. Additional challenges include weak inter agency coordination, unclear project parameters, limited involvement of design professionals, regulatory gaps, political intervention to the professions, and the uncritical adoption of foreign design models without adequate contextual adaptation. In some cases, these processes have contributed to resident displacement, and the erosion of place based social networks. While strong political commitment and centralized supervision have ensured project delivery on time, the study concludes that current urban design practices require substantial recalibration. Strengthening participatory governance, improving regulatory compliance, and enhancing professional engagement either through the development of a holistic locally grounded urban design practice manual or, at a minimum, through stricter adherence to existing planning and design regulations are essential to achieving socially inclusive, coherent, and sustainable urban megaprojects in Addis Ababa.
“Evaluating the Alternative Use of Phytogenics as Feed Additives: Effects on Growth Performance and Immune Response in Newcastle Disease-Vaccinated Broiler Chickens
(Addis Abeba University, 2025) Robel Girma; Takele Beyene (Asso. Professor)
Background: Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) a group of medicinal plants and their essential oils—are increasingly used in poultry sector due to their biologically active compounds that promote animal health, enhance immune function, stimulate growth, boost productivity and reduce mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary PFAs on the growth performance and immunological response of broiler chickens to Newcastle disease (ND). Methods: Experimental study was conducted on a total of 200 Cobb 500 chicks. The chicks were randomly assigned to six groups, with each group comprising three replicates of 10 chicks. To establish baseline immunological data, 20 chicks were bled before the experiment. One treatment group (G4) received only basal diet, while the remaining groups (G1, G2, G3, G5, and G6) were supplemented with 2% of specific phytogenics: thyme (Thymus vulgaris, G1 and G6), lemongrass (Cymbopogon schoenanthus, G2), and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, G3). Additionally, G5 received a commercially available vitamin supplement commonly used by medium-scale poultry farms. Throughout the 42-day study period, mortality, feed conversion ratio (FCR), body weight
gain (BWG), and feed intake were recorded. Serological tests were conducted on three representative chickens per replication to assess antibody responses by ELISA test. Results: The findings of this study demonstrated that the inclusion of PFAs to the diet had no significant effect on overall feed intake. Body weight (BW), BWG, and average daily weight gain (ADWG) did not differ significantly among groups during the starter and grower stages. However, by day 42, G2 and G5 exhibited significantly greater final BW, overall BWG, and ADWG (p < 0.01) compared to the other groups. Over the study duration, G5 chickens achieved the best FCR, followed by G2 and G4. Serological results showed that on day 42 of the trial, the G3 and G5 chickens had a higher antibody titer against the ND vaccination. These findings suggested that adding 2% of this PFA leaf powder to broiler diets had no detrimental effects on feed consumption, while emongrass inclusion enhances growth performance (BW and ADWG) and FCR similarly to commercially available vitamins. However, the inclusion of these dietary PFAs did not significantly influence immune organs development. Rosemary inclusion into the diet and supplementing vitamins improved the immune status of broiler chickens against ND. Conclusion: The selected herbs, particularly lemongrass and rosemary, may be used as effective natural alternatives to synthetic supplements by improving growth performance and immune response in broiler chickens. Further research is needed to fully elucidate their potential as substitutes for antibiotic growth promoters in commercial poultry production