This study was concerned with implementation of quality assurance and accreditation systemrnin private higher education institutions in Ethiopia being delimited to nine institutions foundrnin Addis Ababa, and to identify the outcome as well as the problems encountered inrntranslating it into practice. It was also aimed at suggesting alternative solutions. In order tornachieve this end, the descriptive survey approach was employed. Questionnaires wererndistributed to instructors and department heads in the nine private higher educationrninstitutions, and interviews were conducted with officials of the same institutions and that ofrnHERQA on the issue under consideration. The data obtained were, then, analyzed usingrnvarious statistical techniques such as percentages and chi-square tests.rnThe findings of the study suggested that, in most cases, certain variables which were assumedrnto be program quality indicators like objectives, contents, organization, and didactic conceptrnof a program were considered to be significantly adequate. However, other components ofrnprogram quality such as staff quality, student quality, facilities and inji-astructure, qualityrnassurance system, student evaluation mechanisms, curriculum design, staff developmentrnactivities, feedback ji-om stakeholders, and out put quality were found to be very low. Apartrnji-om this, the fact that some of the expected institution quality indicators like clarity ofrnmission statements, policy plan, funding status, educational activities, and human resourcesrnin aggregate stipulations were regarded as adequate. Other variables for instance,rninstitutional achievement, management system, stakeholder satisfaction, research activities,rncontribution to society, and subject benchmarking were found to be significantly low in manyrnprivate higher education institutions. In line with this, the data obtained revealed that thernimplementation status of the sole regulatory organ of quality assurance and accreditationrnsystem (i.e., HERQA) was also found to be weak in general. On top of that, governmentrnsupport to the institutions in the private sector in areas of access to incentives, provision ofrnshort-term training, provision of technical support, and fostering public-private partnershiprnwas extremely low.rnTo this effect, the implementation practice of quality assurance and accreditation system inrnmany private higher education institutions in Ethiopia has been seriously impaired inrncontrwy to the expected policy directions. Thus, it is recommended that all concerned bodiesrn(private institutions, the regulatory body -HERQA, and the government) have to takernimmediate measures. Accordingly, private higher education institutions should developrnmechanisms so as to have adequate resources qualitatively and quantitatively pertinent tornquality assurance and accreditation. Researches have to be conducted in such a way that thernprinciples of quality of program as well as institution in the higher education system of thernprivate sector would be translated into practice. HERQA should also strengthen its overallrncapacity in the area of discharging the expected duties and responsibilities and it should bernempowered to "stand on its legs ". Moreover, the government should support private higherrneducation institutions in terms of incentives, training, and the like based an the policyrndirections on the issue under consideration.