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Ethiopia’s education system is in a state of flux. The government is prioritizing quality education for teachers and students and equitable access to it. Education begins at 6 years of age, which starts eight years of primary education. The following four years are secondary education, and the final four years are tertiary education. Primary and secondary education is free, though, until recently, parents were expected to share the cost of secondary education. According to UNESCO, it is estimated that 90% of ten-year-olds are not proficient in reading, and their completion rates for tertiary education are 13% and 8% for boys and girls, respectively.

Only primary school is required, so there is a significant drop in enrollment for secondary schools. This is also because, until recently, parents were expected to pay a share of the costs associated with secondary schools. Culturally, many girls marry before age 18, which also significantly hinders their ability to enroll in later secondary and tertiary schooling. There is a large refugee population and much of the population lives in poverty. There are issues with access to schools due to travel issues, scarcity of secondary schools, cultural responsibilities, especially for girls, etc. Ethiopia has been making changes since the 1960s to its education program with the goal of modernizing the country. This has led to secondary and tertiary schools to be taught in English instead of the vernacular, making the schooling more difficult, especially for students living in poverty.

Teachers are qualified through a short certification program, but the government is beginning to require master’s degrees for secondary school teachers and a full pedagogical curriculum for primary school teachers. The curriculum was known for its inefficiency, but in 1994, the country began basing their curriculum on international standards and preparing textbooks for implementing these standards. Currently, teachers use methods based on trial-and-error experiences; research did not indicate whether these methods were research-based or evidence-based practices, though the curriculum is being modelled after various Western countries’ methods.

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Ethiopia wants to Westernize and modernize their country. They required students to learn multiple Western languages, such as English, French, Italian, etc., which was criticized for only being a foreign-language curriculum. When Western figures became prominent in their government in the 1950s and 1960s, their policies were fraught with inefficiencies, not considering many factors, such as cultural differences, access, equity, funding, etc. From 1974-1991, the country’s education system was reconstructed to create more political power and compliant citizens under a Marxist government.

Since 1994, Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing African countries this century. Their hope is to create modernized, middle-class citizens with good international communication, which requires significant changes to their educational system. The current culture needs to be respected while trying to modernize. The government is consulting Western countries and international organizations to accomplish these goals, seeking funding and curriculum development. The Ethiopian government understands the need for high-quality teachers, instruction, and equitable access for success.

Finland and the U.S. are already modernized, so the main goal is different. Both Finland and the U.S. want to create functioning members of society, which is like Ethiopia desiring to create middle-class citizens. They have different theories and implementations to obtain this goal, but the goal is still similar. All three countries want equitable access to education with international communication, and they require students to learn at least one foreign language. They all view education as the key to success for their populaces, and all three countries are consistently reflecting and reviewing policies and curricula to improve and reach their goals.

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Teachers in Ethiopia go through a four-year program to become a qualified teacher in the country. The Ministry of Education is mainly responsible for accrediting tertiary schools. However, there is no central certification, and requirements vary between schools. Professional development and re-evaluation are encouraged to improve their pedagogical skills after employment. Teacher respect in Ethiopia has declined due to lower wages, working conditions, and Western materialism in the country, leading the teacher profession to be seen as an uninspiring career. However, the government is working on policies to require a master’s degree for secondary school teachers, creating a nationalized teacher’s certification, and focusing on a competency-based curriculum.

Ethiopia’s teacher certification sounds like the United States. Teacher certification is state-level, and the national certification is optional. Universities are accredited by national organizations, such as the CAEP. Teachers are required to complete a four-year degree to become a qualified teacher, with a state-level certificate. Some states have different requirements should a teacher attempt to transfer their certification; some areas require a teacher to obtain a master’s degree within a few years of teaching. Teacher respect in the U.S. has also declined due to low wages, increased responsibilities, and materialism. There are many other careers which require less education that pay more, leaving the education field uninspiring for many of the populace. However, one difference is that professional development is required for U.S. teachers to maintain their certification.

Finland’s teacher certification is different from Ethiopia and the United States. Finnish teachers are required to complete a five to seven-year master’s degree before becoming a teacher. The qualifications to enter and complete the degree are rigorous. The certification is nationalized by the Finnish National Agency for Education, so the requirements do not vary between schools. Teacher respect in Finland as increased, not decreased, due to higher pay, equivalent to a doctor’s wages in their country, and the rigorous standards in place for teacher qualification. The populace knows their educators are experts in their fields by the time they obtain certification, so educators are highly-respected. Professional development and reflection is required throughout their employment, like the U.S.

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As mentioned above, the goals of all three countries are equitable access to education. Finland seems to have accomplished this goal with banning tuition for schools, essentially eliminating elite, private schools. They have also invested funding, distributed as needed, to ensure all students have access to the curriculum, regardless of their socioeconomic or ability statuses.

America would have to make major reforms in their monetary system for equitable access. While it may be a goal written in legislation and school policies, the implementation is lackluster at best. Schools in lower socioeconomic areas are hurting and will continue to do so, until these major changes are made. School may be mandatory, but that does not mean learning is occurring at these schools.

This is the same problem Ethiopia has. Primary school is mandatory, but many of the population live in poverty. Culturally, girls have domestic work and possibly child-marriage, lacking the time or ability to attend school. Secondary schools are scarcer, making it difficult for most of the impoverished students to attend. The government is working on reforms and obtaining funding to address equitable access to education, but only the future will say whether they can accomplish their goal.

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The Finnish model in its totality could never work in America, because the populace would never agree to ban private schools. There are too many families that place religious studies or elite schools as a goal for their children. The American culture has longer school schedules, as many students have dual-income homes. Many parents would face a childcare crisis if their children were only in school for three to four hours and fewer years, like the Finnish model. However, the curriculum and priorities of the Finnish schools could be implemented in America. There is plenty of time during the school day to implement play and longer breaks, allowing students to decompress and prepare for more learning. There is evidence-based research proving longer breaks and a focus on play-based, social learning is successful. This would also allow teachers more time to focus on the needs of individual students, professional development, lesson planning, and assessment reflection for improvements. America could implement a more rigorous, nationalized certification program for teachers and increase its pay, leading to more respect for the profession. However, the current teacher shortage would increase with the implementation of a more rigorous program.

Ethiopia is consistently implementing educational reforms, and many parts of the Finnish model could be implemented with further reforms. The shorter school days would give students more time to complete their domestic duties. Ensuring equitable access is possible with enough funding in Ethiopia, as well. Funding can also assist with building more schools, increasing teacher pay, and providing transportation, food, etc., for students. The government would need to obtain this funding from outside sources, as much of their populace is impoverished and/or refugees from other countries. The government is already working on a more rigorous teacher education program, which could help educators regain some respect.  Overall, the Finnish model would benefit Ethiopia, and its full implementation is possible, given the current culture.