News From Ethiopia

World Bank Lead Economist Lauds Ethiopia's Advancement In The Education Sector

Addis Ababa, March 23, 2002 (ENA): World Bank lead
economist Jee-Peng Tan says significant progress has been registered in the education sector in Ethiopia over the past six to seven years.

Presenting a preliminary review on education in Ethiopia to a
session organized on the premises of the Ministry of Education yesterday, Jee-Peng said that Ethiopia has shown remarkable advancement in spreading education, especially primary education.

She said that student enrolment rate in primary schools has also shown significant growth recently. Jee-Peng says girl enrolment too has risen tremendously during the state period comparing with the previous time.

Lead economist Jee-Peng, however, said that the country has to strive hard in shifting its education from selective to mass education, since the rate of school drop-outs is high in the country, much has to be done to manage the student flow, she added.

She said that the World Bank would be a more effective partner with Ethiopia if the existing strength in the education sector persists.

Education Minister W/ro Genet Zewdie on her part expressed delight over the report which confirmed that the country has registered remarkable achievement in spreading education.

Minister Genet said every effort would be deployed to tackle problems encountered in the education sector.

Some 70 stakeholders attended the session.

About EATIC
The Ethio-American Trade & Investment Council (EATIC - www.eatic.org) is a non-profit, non-partisan, tax exempt membership organization of corporations and individuals dedicated to strengthening and facilitating trade and investment between Ethiopia and the United States of America. The Council believes that it can best accomplish this goal through education, focusing on broadening the respective knowledge of various social customs, cultural traditions and economic climate of both countries.

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