Historical Upheavals of the Educational Policy Formulation and Implementation in Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this review was to outline the history of Ethiopian education from ancient time’s right through to the present day. It is generally noted that Ethiopia has a long history of its own writing system, calendar, art, music, numeration, and poetic systems. The nation is also known for the existence of the culturally diversified ethnic groups. This seems to have laid the foundation for establishing indigenous education for the purpose of transmitting these diverse cultural heritages from generation to generation. In addition, the introduction of various religious beliefs into Ethiopia had also led to the introduction of religious education in the country. These social and cultural foundations were found influential factors that made the philosophy of the traditional Ethiopian education to be the training of the child in the beliefs and social values of the respective society. Hence, the purpose of education became the transmission of valuable cultural heritages of the past as an input to reconstruct the education system of the present. By doing so, relevant and worthwhile cultural heritages can be scrutinized and sustained; non-scientific and dogmatic beliefs and harmful cultural practices can be eliminated or at least be minimized. At the same time, knowledge of modern education is to be used as a frame of reference to evaluate the merits and demerits of the traditional school systems of Ethiopia. Having outlined a review of the history of Ethiopian education system from ancient time’s right through to the present day, therefore, this paper suggests some relevant recommendations to reconstruct the current educational practices of the nation and beyond.