Education and Training in Ethiopia An Evaluation of Approaching EFA Goals

overcrowded schools. Increasing the textbook student book ratio from 1:5 to 1:1 is one ofthe ESDP objectives in Ethiopia. According to 1995 data, the student textbook ratios varysignificantly by region: while some regions have a 1:1 ratio, other regions have a 1:5 ratioin primary education. The student textbook ratios are more positive in secondaryeducation, where several regions have 1:1 ratios and no region exceeds the ratio of 1:3(Ministry of Education, 2004). The national average for student textbook ratio was 2.5 atthe primary level and 1.5 at the secondary level in 2000-2001 (Joint Review MissionReport, 2003).In Ethiopia schools are functioning with very modest facilities. A number of schools donot respond to the educational needs especially for increasing girl’s access to primaryeducation. The most of the schools do not even have necessary facilities such as waterand latrines to say nothing about counselling and clinics. Although the GoE has raisedpublic expenditure on education to 4,6 per cent of GDP, it will not be enough to ensure theaccess and attractiveness of education for all (Tervo, Hailu, Huvio, Kirjavainen, Lasonen,Ovaskainen, Poutiainen, 2002).Quality of education may correlate with dropping out of schools. For example, dropoutappears high in the first grade if the class sizes are large and there is lack of educationalmaterial (Joint Review Mission Report, 2003). Ethiopian primary education has rather highdropout and repetition rates, indicating that resources are being wasted. The overalldropout rate for the primary level (Grades 1-8) was 17.8 per cent in 2000/01 and 17.1 percent in 2002/03 (see Appendix IV). The aim of 8.9 per cent by the school year 2004/05seems difficult to reach. The risk of dropping out is particularly high for first-gradestudents. More than a quarter (28.7 per cent) of the children in the first grade dropped outin 2002/03 (Ministry of Education, 2004). Barely over 60 per cent of students survive toGrade 5. (Summary, Education for All: The Quality Imperative 2005; UNESCO 2005).Repetition of classes may correlate with dropping-out. About one out of ten studentsused to repeat Grade 1, girls more often that boys. Firstgrade repetitions, however, havefallen with a policy of automatic promotion and continuous assessment. In school year2002/03 the repetition rate for first-grade students was 3.9 per cent. The repetition rateincreases in Grades 5, 7 and 8, as indicated in overall repetition rate for Grades 1-8, whichwas 6.7 per cent in 2002/03 (Ministry of Education, 2004).Only a small proportion of secondary education leavers continue into tertiaryeducation. In 1996/97, 38.1 per cent of those taking the Ethiopian School LeavingCertificate Examination at the end of their secondary education passed the exam, and onlyabout a half of these were placed in tertiary education institutions (Workineh, T., Teferra,T., Shibeshi, A., & Mercer, M., 1999).5.2 Development of Technical and Vocational Educationand TrainingThe following section will examine the development of Technical and VocationalEducation and Training, which is not often given sufficient attention in educationalreports. Technical and Vocational Training, however, is one of the main components of41