Fuzzy AHP for Determining the Optimal Location of Schools: The Case of Pastoral Communities

Selecting optimal facility location is a challenging decision, as it is expensive to relocate the facilities once they are located. The aim of this paper is to find optimal location of schools in pastoral communities in Mille Woreda, Afar region, Ethiopia. In this study, Fuzzy AHP approach is used to prioritize the candidate locations with respect to environmental (vegetation & proximity to water source), social (distance between facility and demand points & exposure conflict), and geological (history of natural disaster & suitability of location) factors. For obtaining the comparison matrix of the criteria’s and alternatives, questionnaire was designed and filled by the decision makers (academicians and officials from education bureau). From the candidate locations Alidewarto & Wekki were found to be optimal locations for locating new schools. This will help to ensure the education for all program of the government by providing a framework for locating schools in pastoral communities..

Keywords:

Fuzzy-AHP , Optimal Location , Pastoral communities