Addis Abeba — In recent years, there has been a growing movement to introduce Ge'ez as a subject in schools across the Amhara Regional State. Last year, the Amhara Education Bureau announced plans to expand access to Ge'ez instruction in primary schools. This was followed by a recent decision to introduce the language in elementary schools beginning in grade three. The decision has received mixed reactions, with some supporting the initiative while others strongly oppose it.
Among those who objected was the Dessie City Islamic Affairs Council, which issued a statement criticizing the move, noting that it was made without community consultation. "While it is understood that there may be differing perspectives on Ge'ez education, implementing it through a unilateral directive is inappropriate," the Council stated.
Ethiopia's crisis of literacy, global relevance
The fundamental issue with Ethiopia's education system is not which local language of instruction we choose, be it Ge'ez, Amharic, Afaan Oromoo, or Tigrigna. Instead, the crisis is about ensuring that our children acquire the essential skills to read, write, and effectively navigate the global systems that determine survival. The debate over language distracts from the core mission of equipping students with the foundational tools they need to succeed in the modern world.
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The data supports this grim reality. According to the EF English Proficiency Index, Ethiopia's score of 498 in 2024 places it firmly in the "low proficiency" band, showing only minimal improvement over the past five years. Similarly, reading fluency in Grades 2-3--even in students' mother tongues--is woefully low, with fewer than 30% of children meeting basic proficiency benchmarks.
These outcomes are rooted in significant structural issues. The latest Education Statistics Annual Abstract reveals that the pupil-teacher ratio at the primary and middle school levels is 63, far exceeding the national standard of 50. In some districts, this ratio soars to as high as 119 students per teacher. Secondary schools are in a similar predicament; a report by the Education and Development Forum (UKFIET) on the challenges in secondary education highlights that many classes exceed 50 students and are severely under-resourced.
The debate over language distracts from the core mission of equipping students with the foundational tools they need to succeed in the modern world."
Ge'ez offers a cautionary tale. Once the language of kings, it is now primarily the language of the church. While it has endured, it has done so as a symbol rather than a practical tool. Amharic, Afaan Oromoo, and Tigrinya may be on a similar trajectory. Although they remain integral to daily life, they are gradually being marginalized in critical domains such as science, technology, higher education, and law.
Some might contend that we don't have to choose between cultural pride and progress, asserting that we can achieve both. While this is true in principle, in practice, Ethiopia is already grappling with a struggle for basic literacy and an acute shortage of teachers and educational resources. Every hour devoted to Ge'ez is an hour not spent on improving Amharic literacy or enhancing English instruction. Foundational capability must be established first, with heritage to follow.
Others contend that prioritizing English fosters dependence on Western systems. Yet without English, Ethiopia is effectively excluded from global research, scholarship, and technological advancement. Digital ecosystems today privilege English, but accessing this knowledge does not entail surrendering sovereignty. Rather, it provides the capacity to generate our own knowledge while remaining fully aware of developments beyond our borders.
Heritage vs. Survival: Rethinking education priorities
Indeed, some argue that education has always been political--that using it to shape identity is not manipulation but nation-building. This is true. However, identity-building that does not equip students with the tools for survival risks producing a generation that is proud yet powerless.
What the online debate revealed is that this policy resonates at the level of identity rather than reason. When people perceive their culture to be under threat, they are more likely to defend symbols of pride, even if, objectively, those symbols do little to address pressing material challenges. This response is not a sign of ignorance--it is human. Yet it becomes dangerous when it obscures what our children genuinely need.
Every birr invested in Ge'ez classes is a birr not allocated to teacher training, the provision of textbooks, or the enhancement of English programs that could transform lives."
Every birr invested in Ge'ez classes is a birr not allocated to teacher training, the provision of textbooks, or the enhancement of English programs that could transform lives. A generation fluent in Ge'ez but excluded from the global economy will not be more empowered; it will be angrier, poorer, and more frustrated.
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This is not a call to erase culture; it is an argument for prioritizing. Heritage should be preserved--in churches, libraries, museums, and even in schools--but not at the expense of essential skills like literacy, numeracy, and English proficiency.
We must decide whether our schools are museums of memory or engines of survival. If we continue to choose nostalgia over capability, we will find that Amharic, Afaan Oromoo, and Tigrinya have followed Ge'ez into irrelevance--beautiful in prayer books but powerless in the marketplace.
I recognize that this debate is not purely intellectual; it is both emotional and tribal. This is precisely why we must approach it with clarity. Education policy should honor the past, but above all, it must prepare children for the future. At present, we are allowing the past to dictate the terms of our survival. AS
Editor's Note: Eyob Yohannes is a writer and data analyst based in Ethiopia. He can be reached at [email protected]
