The main purpo 'e (~r this study was to C1 'sess the progress towards the goal of universalrnprimaly 'ducation and to identify the major challenges and problems that have affected thernachievement of the goal in Dire Dawa Administrative Council. The study employed arndescriptive survey method, and involves both primary and secondary sources of data.rnRecent education tati tical data of primary education were used to make the analysis onrnthe progre 's towards the goal of UPÂ£. Moreover, primQly data through questionnaires andrninterview were collected form primary school teachers and principals, and educationrnofficials and experts. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted using enrollmentrnrations, parity index, and representation index, coefficient of efficiency, percentage, meanrnand chi-square test.rnThe finding of the study revealed that educational access and coverage have shownrnremarkable improvements over the last five years, between 2003104 and 2007108. However,rnas the net enrolment ratios show that entry to grade one has been highly dominated by overrnaged children, particularly in rural areas, and about 27% of children were still out ofrnschool. Improvements were also registered in ensuring equity in the provision of primaryrneducation, but disparities between boys and girls and urban-rural disparities have beenrnchallenges to achieve UP E. Moreover, inefficiency of student flow as reflected by highrndrop-out, low survival and completion rates was the other challenge in achieving the goalrnby 2015.rnIn addition, the school physical environment and its management-related-problems such asrnlong home-school distance, lack of school basic facilities and materials, lack ofrninstructional supervision, lack of counseling and support for students and the likes werernidentified as a factor that made schools environmental less child-friendly and discouragedrnschool attendance. The socio-economic and cultural problems: family low income, droughtrnand food shortage, child labor demand, parents ' illiteracy, early marriage and the likesrnwere also affected the education of children, particularly of girls and rural children.rnMoreover, less commitment of the political leadership to education has also contributed tornthe non-achievement of UP E. Thus, if these present conditions and challenges persist, DirernDawa unlikely or has less chance to achieve the goal of UP E by 2015.rnFinally, the study recommended that for UP E to be achieved those challenges andrnproblems need to be solved. Net intake rates to grade one should approximately reachrn100%, and the cohort ever entering grade 1 must be kept in the system to progress throughrnthe education ladder to complete the final grade of primary education by avoiding drop Olltrnand repetition. Emphasis should also be given to increa e access and equity by addressingrnall the inhibiting factors (social, economic and cultural). Moreover, all these could be putrnto the ground with strong political and leadership commitments.