Science Education in Ethiopia

2. Science Education During Imperial Ethiopia

It was indicated previously that the foundation of Ethiopia’s modern secular education was laid during the decade of 1940s, described as restoration period. Therefore, the curricula of the 1940-50 were prepared to meet the immediate manpower needs for post-war reconstruction. Since the teachers and teaching materials were imported, in fact there was no better choice; the curricula did not match with the attributes of Ethiopian children. The National Board of Education (established in 1947) formulated nationwide policy of uniform curricula for grades 1 through 6 (Teshome, 1979). Despite the policy’s effort and commitment to make culturally and socially compatible curricula, the content remained alien both in approach and context. It was only for grade 1 and 2 that Amharic was recommended as a language of instruction. Starting grade 3, students were required to learn science and other subjects in English. Moreover, since the textbooks and other reference materials were written in European languages (usually English), the contexts upon which science was presented and taught were also alien (Teshome, 1979). The Ministry of Education and Fine Arts developed curricular guide in 1949 to standardize instructional practices for grades 7 and 8. Owing to the foreign-based instructional materials, the attempt to gear the curricula to the needs of Ethiopian students was not successful. According to Teshome, ‘the prescribed course in science made little mention of personal or community hygiene, nutrition, health or safety measures, agriculture and conservation of natural resources. The course outlines were theoretical and dealt with such topics as solar system, magnetism, expansion of solids and liquids, and the like. Very little of this had any practical relevance for unsophisticated pupils in a rural setting’ (p. 73).

Teshome, W. (1979). Education in Ethiopia: Prospect and Retrospect. Michigan State University Press.