It’s (Not So) Elementary: Solving the Education Crisis in Ethiopia

If you split something up into thirds, each part is still pretty big. A third of a pizza is a lot of pizza. A third of a book is a lot of pages. And over a third of children that are eligible to be in free, compulsory primary school in Ethiopia aren’t going to school. According to the Borgen Project, a mere sixty percent of Ethiopian children are enrolled in full-time education (Borgen), even though education is free through the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels and required between the ages of seven and twelve (Britannica). The effects of these low enrollment rates are already showing in Ethiopian society, as the literacy rate for males is around fifty percent and the literacy rate for females is only about one-third to two-fifths (Britannica). We’re left to wonder what these rates will be in the future if the issues within the education system are not addressed effectively and imminently.

In order for the true issues to be addressed, the nation must first recognize the reasons behind this failing system. Due to a lack of adequate funding, teaching staff, facilities, space, and materials (Britannica), the Ethiopian education system is unable to keep up with the modernized world. Extreme economic restrictions on the development of the education system have led to the tabling of a twelve-year long plan proposed by the Ministry of Education (AllAfrica). This lengthy plan supported improved access to education and improved overall leadership and organization in the education system, but its downfall was in the reality of the situation. The bottom line is that the Ethiopian economy is not strong enough to support the profound needs of the nation’s education system. However, there may be hope for the Ethiopian education system on the international horizon.

In recent years, the United States has played a key role in the development of the Ethiopian education system. According to AllAfrica, the United States is “the largest bilateral donor to Ethiopia” (AllAfrica). These donations are being used in the education sector in order to transition the education system into native languages, train more qualified teachers, and provide more materials for classrooms (AllAfrica). In addition to donations, the United States Embassy supports programs such as the Fulbright Program and the Ambassador’s Distinguished Scholars Program, which, in late 2018, sent 35 academic ambassadors to Ethiopia to run pilot programs at the university level. These programs are currently being run at seven universities across Ethiopia and are focused on preparing students for careers in diverse fields and subject matters (US Embassy Ethiopia). While it is still early on in these endeavors, it is safe to say that foreign involvement in Ethiopia’s education system will likely play a key role in its development and modernization.

Although it is clear that the Ethiopian education system is still severely lacking in many areas, recent events seem to have set its development on the upwards trend. With the introduction of foreign programs that address the nation’s economic needs in the education sector, we can hope that more youth will get the opportunity to receive the quality education for which they are eligible and which they deserve.

Works Cited:

borgenproject.org/education-system-in-ethiopia/

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A560505142/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=b5c64f66

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A562031967/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=848bd4f6

www.britannica.com/place/Ethiopia/Education

et.usembassy.gov/u-s-embassy-welcomes-largest-ever-cohort-of-american-scholars-to-support-education-in-ethiopia/