World Teachers

As in any other time and place, teachers played an important role in the Deber Zeit students’ success in the 1950s and 1960. while teachers are an essential ingredient of a good educational system, the quality of the teacher is critical.

The establishment of the modern education system followed the Italian defeat in 1941.  As was indicated “The country started to build up the sector, but the system faced shortages of teachers, textbooks, and facilities. The government recruited foreign teachers for primary and secondary schools to offset the teacher shortage.

Looking back at the educational system in Ethiopia in general and Debre Zeit in particular, “By 1952 a total of 60,000 students were enrolled in 400 primary schools, eleven secondary schools, and three institutions offering college-level courses.”  By the time the cohort of 1970 started school after 1957, we suspect there were a few more students and elementary and secondary schools (Source: 1900s History of Education in Ethiopia | K12 Academics)

In 1952, Atse Libnedengle elementary school in Debre Zeit was one of the more than 400 primary schools in Ethiopia. As there were only 14 secondary schools in the whole country. There was no secondary school in Debre Zeit before 1967 or 1968. When students in Debre Zeit complet grade eight, Debre Zeit students were either sent to Ambo or Nazareth (Adama) to attend secondary school.

  Table B. Schools, Students and Teachers in Ethiopian Education

Source: A historical survey of state Education in Eritrea   p.101

History of Education in Ethiopia: 1950 – 1990 – African Research Consult (african-research.com)

In terms of teachers, due to shortages, students in Debre Zeit primary schools, especially higher-grade primary school students started getting foreign teachers. Above is the breakdown of number of number of schools, students, Ethiopian and foreign teachers.

Here is a picture the principal Ato Yilma, (the third from right to left) of the school with Three teachers standing against the wall behind the students. one of the teachers behind the students is an Indian who thought Biology. 

Both in middle and high school in Debre Zeit, there were American, French and India teachers who taught different subjects, mostly English, French, science and Mathematics.

As shown on the table above, metropolitan areas get a relatively higher proportion of foreign teachers than non-metropolitan areas. For instance, in Addis Ababa close to a quarter (22.6 Percent) of the teachers are foreign. Similarly, in Eritrea, when it was part of Ethiopia, and Shoa, where Debre Zeit Schools are located, foreign teachers represent 7.8 and 7.1 percent of all teachers respectively.

It is no coincidence that the three (Addis Ababa, Eritrea and Shoa) are the top ESLCE achieving areas in the country. Hence, this indicates a correlation with the Success in ESLCE. Debre Zeit students have benefited from teachers of the world.