Education Policy Debate

The current policy belongs to the FDRE government. The Prosperity Party, having been elected, developed and approved it through extensive public and scholarly consultation.

• The current education policy is the policy of the FDRE government.

  [20:05]

• The Prosperity Party developed and approved the policy by consulting and involving the public and scholars.

  [20:18]

The policy belongs to the government. However, the Minister of Education is an EZEMA leader, which is a historic sign of consensus democracy.

• The current Minister of Education is a leader of EZEMA, demonstrating consensus democracy.

  [20:49]

• The policy itself belongs to the FDRE government.

  [21:06]

The policy is based on the education roadmap approved in 2012 (2019/20), which the Prosperity Party developed to fix the broken education system.

• The education policy is based on the education roadmap approved and implemented in 2012 (2019/20).

  [22:48]

• The Prosperity Party created the policy to fix deep-rooted problems in the education system.

  [23:16]

We identified the problems through research and revised the curriculum to include moral education and to create competitive, self-reliant citizens.

• The curriculum was revised to include moral and civic education.

  [25:09]

• The new curriculum aims to create competitive, self-reliant citizens who do not just wait for jobs.

  [25:17]

Education reform is a process. We are currently creating 3.5 million jobs annually. The new policy aims to produce citizens who can create their own jobs, and we have seen 1.9 million self-employment opportunities created in 5 years.

• The government is creating 3.5 million job opportunities annually.

  [26:37]

• The new education policy aims to make citizens capable of creating their own jobs.

  [26:51]

• In 5 years, 1.9 million self-employment opportunities were created by the youth themselves.

  [27:23]

We started by building a foundation at the lower levels. The exam results exposed the existing problems. We improved the assessment system to international standards (50% passing mark), and the passing rate has now reached 8.9%.

• The government focused on building the foundation of education at the lower levels.

  [28:13]

• The new assessment system exposed the hidden problems in the education sector.

  [29:10]

• The passing rate has now improved to 8.9%.

  [29:30]

• The passing mark was set to the international standard of 50%.

  [31:49]

Education quality takes time. We had to test students with an internationally valid assessment because these students will become teachers for the next generation. The exam was based on what they were taught.

• Education quality is a generational issue that takes time to show results.

  [30:15]

• Students must be tested with an internationally valid assessment because they will become the next generation of teachers.

  [31:03]

• The exam questions were drawn from the books and materials the students were taught.

  [31:34]

That data is incorrect. The average ratio is 1 to 52 for grades 9-12 and 1 to 54 for grades 1-6.

• The student-to-classroom ratio is 1 to 52 for grades 9 to 12.

  [33:24]

• The student-to-classroom ratio is 1 to 54 for grades 1 to 6.

  [33:31]

We have provided housing for over 6,000 teachers and are preparing for 25,000 more. We will also provide transport and housing allowances, acknowledging that current provisions are not enough.

• The government has provided condominium housing for over 6,000 teachers.

  [34:19]

• The government is preparing housing for 25,000 more teachers.

  [34:22]

• The government will provide transport and housing allowances for teachers.

  [34:50]

We will use domestic languages up to the end of secondary school, alongside English. Mother tongue instruction will be mandatory up to grade 8. English will be given at all levels and become the full medium of instruction from grade 9.

• Instruction will be in domestic languages and English up to the end of secondary school.

  [35:51]

• Mother tongue instruction will be mandatory up to grade 8.

  [38:05]

• English will be taught at all levels.

  [38:19]

• English will become the full medium of instruction starting from grade 9.

  [38:29]

The structure will be Pre-primary (KG) for ages 4-6, primary from grades 1-6, middle school grades 7-8, and secondary grades 9-12.

• Pre-primary education will be for ages 4 to 6.

  [39:22]

• Primary education will be from grades 1 to 6.

  [39:28]

• Middle school will be grades 7 to 8, and secondary school will be grades 9 to 12.

  [39:31]

Undergraduate programs will be 4 years, Master's 2 years, and PhD programs will be 5 or 6 years, as 4 years is insufficient for research.

• Undergraduate programs will take 4 years.

  [40:31]

• Master's programs will take 2 years.

  [40:35]

• PhD programs will take 5 or 6 years to allow sufficient time for research.

  [40:39]

Ministry exams will be given at grades 6 and 8, and the school leaving exam (Matric) will be given at grade 12.

• Ministry exams will be administered at grades 6 and 8.

  [41:10]

• The secondary school leaving exam will be administered at grade 12.

  [41:20]

The passing score will be 50%. However, we criticize the current government's implementation as a political conspiracy to reduce university admissions. We will change the teaching and assessment system to ensure 85-90% of students pass.

• The passing score for the 12th-grade exam will be 50%.

  [41:55]

• The current government's implementation of the 50% rule is a political conspiracy to reduce university admissions and avoid building new universities.

  [42:28]

• We will change the teaching and assessment system from the ground up to ensure 85% to 90% of students pass.

  [43:49] [44:38]

We do not support immediate autonomy because 95% of the population is poor and cannot afford to pay. We will study Addis Ababa University and gradually return it to a state where it accommodates citizens based on capacity. Autonomy is not the only way to ensure academic freedom; secularizing education and removing political interference is key.

• Immediate university autonomy is not supported because 95% of the population is poor and cannot afford to pay.

  [45:35]

• We will study Addis Ababa University and gradually return it to a state that accommodates citizens.

  [46:10] [46:24]

• Academic freedom will be ensured by secularizing education and removing political interference, such as 1-to-5 networks.

  [46:41]

The primary responsibility to protect citizens lies with the government. We call for genuine negotiations with these armed groups to address their demands, rather than just demanding they surrender. The current education policy itself produced these conflicts.

• The government has the primary responsibility to protect the safety and peace of citizens.

  [48:17]

• We call for genuine negotiations with armed groups to address their demands, rather than demanding surrender.

  [49:05] [49:56]

• The current education policy is the root cause that produced these conflicts and wars.

  [49:36]

Currently, Amharic is the national language. However, the manifesto refers to the 'working language' of each region, which is their mother tongue.

• Amharic is currently the national language of Ethiopia.

  [50:19]

• The manifesto refers to the working language of each region, meaning students will learn in their mother tongue.

  [50:31] [50:44]

Students will learn in their mother tongue from grade 1 to 6. Additional languages will be selected based on how widely they are spoken in the country or region, and regional councils will decide this.

• Students will learn in their mother tongue from grade 1 to 6.

  [51:34]

• Additional languages will be selected based on how widely they are spoken in the country or region.

  [52:26]

• Regional councils will decide which additional languages to implement.

  [52:30]

English will be integrated from kindergarten, but it will become the mandatory medium of instruction starting from grade 7.

• English will become the mandatory medium of instruction starting from grade 7.

  [53:18] [54:10]

• English will be integrated into the curriculum starting from kindergarten to build capacity.

  [53:58]

We will reduce the cost-sharing percentage at the university level due to the high cost of living. Education from kindergarten to grade 12 in public schools will be fully covered by the government, including school feeding programs.

• The cost-sharing percentage at the university level will be reduced due to the high cost of living.

  [54:51]

• Education from kindergarten to grade 12 in public schools, including school feeding, will be fully covered by the government.

  [54:57]

We will generate income by taxing international schools. There are about 22 international schools charging high fees. We will allocate 30% of their tax revenue directly to the education budget. We will also eliminate unnecessary taxes imposed on the public.

• Funding will be generated by taxing the approximately 22 international schools in the country.

  [55:51] [56:56]

• 30% of the tax revenue from international schools will be allocated directly to the education budget.

  [57:16]

• We will eliminate unnecessary taxes imposed on the public to generate additional revenue.

  [58:44]

We differ because we don't force all students into the same path. Our policy identifies students' special talents and interests from kindergarten and guides them accordingly.

• Unlike the current policy, we will not force all students into the same educational path.

  [59:24]

• Our policy identifies students' special talents and interests starting from kindergarten.

  [59:33]

Exams will be at grades 6, 8, and 12. The passing score is 50%, but we oppose the current system that uses exams to fail students without properly teaching them. We will provide remedial classes to raise the passing rate to over 85%.

• National exams will be given at grades 6, 8, and 12.

  [1:00:09] [1:00:12]

• The passing score for university entrance will be 50%.

  [1:00:23]

• We will provide remedial classes to quickly support students.

  [1:01:17]

• We will raise the 12th-grade passing rate to over 85%.

  [1:02:08]

We support autonomy, but it shouldn't be a political cover. It must be based on research to ensure quality and institutional independence. Education must be liberalized and free from politics. We also plan to provide mentorship and training for students who stayed home for 3-5 years due to war.

• We support university autonomy, provided it is based on research and not used as a political cover.

  [1:03:14]

• Education must be liberalized and free from political interference.

  [1:03:26]

• We will provide mentorship and training programs for students who have been out of school for 3-5 years due to war.

  [1:03:47]

It is the FDRE government's policy. However, the policy is very similar to EZEMA's. Because an EZEMA leader is the Minister of Education, we are implementing our shared goals. We accepted the invitation to join the government to build the country together and free education from partisanship.

• The education policy currently being implemented is the FDRE government's policy.

  [1:04:26]

• The government's policy is very similar to the policy developed by EZEMA.

  [1:05:16]

• EZEMA accepted the invitation to join the government to build the country together and free education from partisanship.

  [1:07:22]

Both. We acknowledge the positive changes and work to strengthen them, but we also identify areas that need improvement based on our manifesto.

• We are here to do both: strengthen the positive aspects of the current policy and improve the areas that need it.

  [1:07:57]

• If elected, we will continue implementing the good parts and fix the shortcomings based on our manifesto.

  [1:08:57]

The word 'fail' should be removed from the dictionary. Not passing the entrance exam doesn't mean failing in life; there are other opportunities like TVET. The 90% who passed previously were cheating. The new assessment system stopped cheating. The passing rate has improved to 8.9% and will eventually reach around 30%. Education reform takes time.

• Not passing the university entrance exam does not mean failing in life; there are other opportunities like TVET.

  [1:10:01]

• The 90% passing rate in the past was due to cheating, which the new assessment system has stopped.

  [1:11:05] [1:13:10]

• The passing rate has improved to 8.9% and will eventually reach a maximum of around 30%.

  [1:11:57]

• Education reform is a long process that takes time to show results.

  [1:12:05]

We expect it to reach 20% to 30%. The remaining 70% will not be considered failures but will be directed to TVET and other skill-based programs, as a country needs both university graduates and skilled technicians.

• We target a university entrance passing rate of 20% to 30%.

  [1:14:18]

• The remaining 70% will be directed to TVET and skill-based programs, as the country needs skilled technicians.

  [1:14:21]

It's normal for parties in the same country to have similar policies. If we were the government, we would ensure true academic freedom and a secular environment in universities, free from political interference. University presidents would be chosen based on merit, not ethnicity.

• It is normal for parties in the same country to have similar policy stances on certain issues.

  [1:15:22]

• We will ensure true academic freedom and a secular environment in universities, free from political interference.

  [1:16:22]

• University presidents will be chosen based on merit and knowledge, not ethnicity.

  [1:16:34]

The university rejected that study because it was poorly timed and didn't consult the university community. Autonomy allows universities to manage resources better. Half of the students are government-sponsored, and the fees were set after studying local private college rates.

• Addis Ababa University rejected the Ministry's study because it was poorly timed and did not consult the university community.

  [1:17:20]

• Autonomy allows universities to manage their resources better and become more economical.

  [1:17:40]

• Half of the students admitted are sponsored by the government.

  [1:17:55]

• The fee structure was determined after studying the rates of private colleges in Ethiopia.

  [1:18:34]

We know the roadmap and the policy. The policy is responsible for the 97% failure rate because it focuses on failing students rather than empowering them. The roadmap ignored that 10th graders can't read or write. We will change the language policy, stop cheating from the ground up, remove political cadres from schools, and focus on student-centered learning rather than just high-tech approaches.

• The current policy is responsible for the 97% failure rate because it focuses on failing students rather than empowering them.

  [1:21:23] [1:21:59]

• The roadmap ignored the fact that many 10th-grade students cannot read or write.

  [1:23:53]

• We will change the language policy and the assessment system to stop cheating from the ground up.

  [1:24:58]

• We will remove political cadres from schools and ensure schools are secular.

  [1:25:09]

• We will focus on true student-centered learning rather than just high-tech approaches.

  [1:25:36]

We appreciate that Prosperity Party took our 2015 (2022/23) idea for school feeding. However, we differ fundamentally: we believe in shaping students based on their interests, not forcing everyone into the same mold.

• The Prosperity Party adopted our 2015 (2022/23) policy idea for school feeding.

  [1:27:26]

• We fundamentally differ by believing that education should be based on students' individual interests, not forcing everyone into the same path.

  [1:28:07]

We have a firm stance on peace. We condemn armed struggle and believe change cannot come through the barrel of a gun. We call for national consensus and reconciliation.

• We condemn armed struggle and believe change cannot come through violence.

  [1:31:02] [1:31:31]

• We call for national consensus and reconciliation as the fundamental path forward.

  [1:31:15]

We only support peaceful struggle. Armed struggle only breeds revenge and blood. We urge all parties to come to the National Dialogue Commission. The government also has a responsibility to push for negotiations and mediation.

• We only support peaceful struggle and believe armed struggle only breeds revenge and blood.

  [1:31:47]

• We urge all parties with grievances to bring them to the National Dialogue Commission.

  [1:32:12]

• The government has the primary responsibility to push for negotiations and mediation to bring armed groups to the table.

  [1:32:42]

We need an independent body to investigate who the extremists are. The ruling party's policies, which organized people along ethnic lines and fostered conflict in schools, are the root cause of the war. We believe in genuine negotiation, not just condemning one side.

• An independent body is needed to investigate and determine who the extremists are.

  [1:29:08]

• The ruling party's policies, which fostered ethnic conflict in schools, are the root cause of the current war.

  [1:29:37] [1:30:27]

• We believe in genuine negotiation rather than just condemning one side, which will not bring peace.

  [1:51:13]

We are here to discuss education, the next generation, and modernization, not war. The government constantly calls for peace. It is paradoxical that you refuse to condemn those who kill teachers and close schools. Peace requires all parties, including extremists, to come to the negotiating table. We respect teachers and are working to build their capacity.

• We are here to discuss education, the next generation, and modernization, not to give battlefield analysis.

  [1:35:51]

• The government and party leadership constantly call for peace and for guns to be silenced.

  [1:35:05]

• Peace requires all parties, including extremists, to come to the negotiating table; the government cannot do it alone.

  [1:36:42]

• We highly respect teachers as nation-builders and are working to build their capacity.

  [1:37:38]

We conducted a roadmap study starting in 2010 (2017/18) involving hundreds of thousands of citizens and scholars. It was endorsed in 2012 (2019/20) and became policy in 2015 (2022/23). It addresses quality, relevance, and moral decay. We expanded pre-primary education to 4 million children, introduced practical skills training, and implemented school feeding for 8 million students.

• The education roadmap study started in 2010 (2017/18) and involved hundreds of thousands of citizens and scholars.

  [1:38:33] [1:39:15]

• The roadmap was endorsed in 2012 (2019/20) and became policy in 2015 (2022/23).

  [1:39:29]

• We expanded pre-primary education (KG) to 4 million children.

  [1:41:31]

• We introduced practical skills training starting from pre-primary education.

  [1:41:46]

• We implemented a school feeding program that currently feeds 8 million students daily.

  [1:43:39] [1:44:08]

We are working with parents and stakeholders to bring out-of-school children back. Regarding international schools, the goal is to ensure citizens learn their country's curriculum and identity while maintaining international standards, which we will do in consultation with the public.

• We are working with parents and stakeholders to bring children who have been out of school back to the classroom.

  [1:44:49]

• The goal regarding international schools is to ensure citizens learn their country's curriculum and identity while maintaining international standards.

  [1:45:26]

We know when to cooperate and when to compete. We cooperate on national issues like education, but we have our own distinct policies to build a better country. We don't believe in opposing everything blindly. We want a strong multi-party system with 3-4 strong parties, not a merger.

• We cooperate with the government on national issues like education, but we have our own distinct policies.

  [1:46:14] [1:46:30]

• We do not believe in opposing everything blindly; we support what is good and criticize what needs improvement.

  [1:46:48]

• We do not believe in merging with the Prosperity Party; we advocate for a strong multi-party system with 3-4 strong parties.

  [1:47:49]

We will increase the passing rate by involving all stakeholders (economy, finance, business), not just the Ministry of Education. We must stop viewing those who don't go to university as failures; they will be directed to TVET and skill-based programs to build the country.

• We will increase the passing rate by involving all stakeholders, including the economy, finance, and business sectors.

  [1:48:32]

• We must stop viewing students who do not pass the university entrance exam as failures.

  [1:49:28]

• Students who do not go to university will be directed to TVET and skill-based programs, which are also essential for building the country.

  [1:49:48]

We reject the EPRDF/Prosperity policy because it has been destroying education for 35 years and caused the 97% failure rate. We need a paradigm shift. However, we do accept international frameworks and standards (like UNESCO/UNICEF) that are included in it.

• We reject the current policy because it is a continuation of the EPRDF policy that has destroyed education for 35 years.

  [1:57:04]

• We accept fundamental international frameworks and standards, such as those from UNESCO and UNICEF.

  [1:57:30]