The beginning of modern education in Ethiopia is the teaching of reading and writing that has been taught in Christian and Islamic religious institutions for centuries. In this way, by adapting the religious education to modern education, they were a
ligious education to modern education, they were able to produce many educated people.
Modern education is believed to have been brought to Ethiopia since the 19th century by various foreigners, mainly missionaries. The first modern school was started in 1900 in Addis Ababa city and was named Menelik II School.
In order to spread education to other parts of the country, Emperor Minilik took various measures, among which he sent Luke's group to foreign countries to learn the educational development practices of other countries and sent many students to European countries to learn European education. According to this, during the reign of Emperor Minilik, more schools were established in Ankober Hot Earth, Dese Woro Sehn, and Alliance Française schools in Addis Ababa and Dredawa.
When Emperor Haile Selassie came to power in 1923, he established a national institution called the Ministry of Arts to lead the work of expanding modern education in the country. After leading the institution for a period of time in addition to leading the country, he appointed his honorable son Geta Sahle Tharalun as the first minister of the institution. Accordingly, boarding schools, girls' schools, technical schools and mission schools were established in each province according to the existing administrative structure.
Before the Italian invasion, until 1928, the King established 30 schools, including Minilik and Teferi Mekonon schools, and enrolled 5,000 students. Historical essays explain that the students were not willing to go to school and were forced to beg. But during the invasion, these schools were closed.
After the defeat of Fascist Italy in 1928-1933, modern education was interrupted. In 1934, Emperor Haile Selassie re-established the Ministry of Education and Arts and appointed Mr. Mekon as the Minister of Happiness. Schools that were closed in every province have been reopened and further expanded.
From 1934 to 1966, from 1st grade to 12th grade, about 2,000 schools were opened in various provinces (pronounced at the time). 14 colleges and 4 institutions of higher education leading to university entrance were also opened. On February 20/1943, Addis Ababa University College, the first in Ethiopia, was inaugurated and opened.
After the king abdicated, when the Derg began to govern the country, the Honorable Ato Tadese Terfa was appointed as the first minister of art and education of the Derg government. In 1967, a new organization was studied and implemented, and the institution was renamed the Ministry of Education and Arts. Thus Haile Gabriel Danye (Dr.) survived from 1966-1969, Woldesadiq (Dr.) from 1969-1970, Colonel Goshu Wolde from 1971-1975, Ato Billing Mandefro from 1975-1979, Yayehirad Katau (Dr.) led the Ministry of Education from 1979-1983. . Until the fall of the Derg government, there were 8,434 primary schools, 275 secondary schools, 17 technical and vocational training institutions, 2 universities, 3 institutes and 5 colleges teaching a total of 2 million 500 thousand students.
In 1983, when the Derg came down from power and the EHDP Front started to lead the country in a transitional government, the Oromo Liberation Front was put in charge of the Ministry of Education. The organization's representative Mr. Ibsa Gutema was appointed as the Minister of Education of the Transitional Government. Ato Ibsa Gutema led the Ministry of Education as a minister until he left the Transitional Government in August 1984. Subsequently, Mrs. Genet Zewde (later Ambassador) led the Transitional Government until 1998 as the Minister of Education of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Santayehu Woldemikhael (Dr.) from 1998-2001, Ato Demeke Mekonen from 2001-2005, Ato Shiferau Shgute from 2005-2009, Shiferau Teklemariam led the Ministry of Education as a minister from October 2009 to July 2009.
When the front organizations of the EHDEP merged and the EHDEP was established as the Prosperity Party, new ministries were reformed. Thus, in 2011, the Ministry of Education, which was also in charge of higher education institutions, was divided into two. When the Ministry of Education was made to manage general education up to the 12th grade, a new ministry called "Ministry of Science and Higher Education" was established to manage higher education institutions, including Addis Ababa and Adama Science and Technology Universities, which were under the Ministry of Science and Technology. When the new Ministry of Education was established to oversee general education up to grade 12, Tilaye Gete (Dr.) was appointed as the Minister of Education in December 2011 and headed the institution until 2012. Since 2012, Getahun Mekuria (Dr. Eng.) has led the institute as a minister.
In 2013, the government reorganized the executive offices and merged the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education into the former Ministry of Education. Accordingly, Prof. Birhanu Nega has been appointed as the Ministry of Education and is currently working.
Sustainably building an education and training system that ensures quality and equitable education for all citizens and that continuously produces a competent and competitive workforce fueling the country’s economic development.
Ensuring effective, quality and equitable education and training system through building the implementation capacity of the education sector at all levels, designing and regulating standards of efficiency, expanding standardized education throughout the country, as well as complementing and leveraging education sector development interventions with strategic communications and public awareness. Planning
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