23/06/2025
Lessons Unlearned: How politics distorted Ethiopia’s education system with reforms stuck on repeat
Addis Abeba – Ethiopia, one of the oldest nations in the world, boasts a rich history that spans over three thousand years. However, the introduction of modern education is a relatively recent development, beginning in the early 20th century. Prior to 1908, the country’s educational system was primarily under the control of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which for over 1,600 years focused on training elites for the clergy and related religious functions.
This longstanding tradition began to shift in 1906, when Emperor Menelik II launched a series of reforms marked by the issuance of the first education proclamation. Two years later, Ethiopia’s first modern public school—Menelik II School—was established. Influenced heavily by the French educational model, the school represented a significant step toward secular, state-led education. Nevertheless, between its founding and 1935, Menelik II School largely functioned as a language institution rather than a full-fledged school. This limitation was due to resistance from members of the clergy, who feared losing their longstanding dominance over educational and state affairs.
In 1931, Emperor Haile Selassie established the country’s first Ministry responsible for overseeing educational affairs—the Ministry of Arts. Following its creation, a relatively significant number of modern schools were constructed and began operating across various provinces, offering instruction primarily in Ge’ez and Amharic. However, access to education remained limited to a select segment of the population—mainly students from elite families or those residing in urban areas. In other words, the education system was urban-centric, and individuals from rural backgrounds or non-elite families were largely excluded. Additionally, proficiency in Ge’ez and Amharic was a fundamental requirement for admission into these modern schools. In addition, there was no standardized curriculum guiding educational instruction until 1941. Instead, schools were expected to fulfill the objectives set forth by the Emperor.
Reforms caught in loop
One of the most notable efforts undertaken by Emperor Haile Selassie prior to his exile was his emphasis on promoting local languages—albeit limited to the aforementioned ones—and his recognition of indigenous knowledge systems, cultural values, and traditions. However, following his return from exile, a new curriculum influenced by the British education system was introduced. Unfortunately, this new framework largely excluded indigenous knowledge, values, and cultural heritage. In the years that followed, additional curricula were adopted in 1946, 1956, and 1962, yet these too had little or only modest relevance to Ethiopia’s unique historical and cultural context.
Following its ascent to power in 1974, the socialist Derg regime discredited the educational initiatives of Emperor Haile Selassie and fully immersed the country’s education system in the prevailing ideology of socialism and communism. During this period, the system came under the strong influence of socialist states such as East Germany and the USSR. With guidance from these countries, the Derg introduced a new curriculum aimed at producing students who aligned with the regime’s ideological and political objectives, rather than addressing the broader goal of improving the population’s socio-economic conditions.
Nonetheless, in comparison to the previous imperial era, some progress was made. Notable achievements included the expansion of schools, the Ethiopianization of the teaching workforce, a significant reduction in the illiteracy rate—from 95% in 1979 to 24.7% by 1990—and an increase in the primary school enrollment rate to 34.1%.
Much like the socialist Derg regime, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) discarded the existing education policy and introduced a new one aligned with its political ideology—namely, the developmental state or revolutionary democracy model. Under the EPRDF, the education system became highly politicized, with every educational initiative viewed through the lens of this ideological framework.
https://addisstandard.com/lessons-unlearned-how-politics-distorted-ethiopias-education-system-with-reforms-stuck-on-repeat/
