Education Bill’s Language Requirements Spark Heated Debate In Parliament

A first-of-its-kind bill on education was cause for heated debate in Parliament on Tuesday as legislators clashed over proposed rules for languages of instruction across schools in Ethiopia.

The 56-page ‘General Education Proclamation’ draft tabled to lawmakers seeks to compel students to enroll in at least three language courses through their primary and secondary education. The languages are to be decided by regional administrations, according to the bill.

It stipulates that one of the languages must be a federal working language to be studied mandatorily between the third and tenth grade levels. English is also mandatory for students starting from first grade. The third language option is to be selected by the student and their family and determined by regional administrations, according to the draft proclamation.

The proposed rules sparked contention among MPs, who argued against the ambiguity of the three-language curriculum. They contend the draft does not address the linguistic diversity of Ethiopia’s regional states.

“The bill states students will have at least three languages. One is the mother tongue, second is one selected from five federal working languages, and third from foreign languages. As per the constitution, the only federal working language is Amharic. So what are the students going to choose?” asked Abebaw Desalew, an MP from the Amhara Regional State.

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He observed the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has yet to table a pending proposal to assign federal working status to additional languages.

“Why is the option to select from five federal working languages included in the bill without first amending the constitution?” inquired Abebaw.

Regional administrations will also be endowed with the right to choose how long students will receive instruction in their mother tongue if the bill is ratified. It proposes to make English mandatory for all students and subjects beginning ninth grade and higher.

“If regional states decide the length of instruction for mother tongue languages, it will be difficult for Ethiopian students to communicate in a common language. Everyone will be speaking different languages. This must be revised,” said MP Lubaba Seid.

Siti Redwan, another MP, argued that a language’s inclusion in official curricula hinges on its speakers’ inclusion in government and elected office.

“For instance, the language of the Wolane ethnic group is still not considered as a mother tongue language in local schools. It will be difficult to ensure the inclusion of a language in schools as the decision will be affected by the political representation of the several ethnic groups in regions,” said Siti.

Begashaw Teklu, an MP representing a constituency in Arerte, wants to see the reversal of provisions mandating a stop to mother-tongue instruction in high school in favor of English.

The draft proclamation states that all existing public education institutions will be subject to the proposed rules, while non-government institutions and schools are to be registered under the terms of a directive to be set out by the Ministry of Education.

The bill looks to hold federal, regional, and local education officials as well as faculty and school administrators accountable for gaps in the quality of education. The Ministry will establish a new institution that will be responsible for conducting investigations into future lapses, according to the draft.

Less than six percent of the 675,000 students who sat for the national 12th grade exams last school year achieved passing marks. It was the second poor performance in a row, raising serious questions about the quality of education in Ethiopia.

The Ministry will also introduce a directive to set a framework for the continuance of education in times of crisis, according to the bill.

Millions of students across the country are currently unable to attend lessons due to the closure of schools as a result of armed conflict and climate shocks. Thousands of schools have been damaged or destroyed by fighting in regions such as Amhara and Tigray. Others are being used as shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The draft proclamation permits foreign community schools and international schools to adopt their own curricula. Foreign schools will not be allowed to obtain more than 30 percent of their funding from their governments, according to the bill.

The bill compels private schools to provide annual financial reports to the authorities.

“The issue of allowing international and community schools the power to have their own curricula should be reviewed and reversed,” argued one MP. “Incorporating Chinese and Arabic into the education curriculum should also be considered.”

The MP also called for the bill to address standards and laws regarding clothing and attire at schools, particularly in relation to Muslim girls.

“The education system is at a crossroads and introducing stringent legislation is key,” said the MP.

The bill sets four years as the age when students must enroll in pre-kindergarten (pre-KG) and seven years as the cutoff for enrollment in first grade. It leaves room for flexibility for enrollment in rural areas.

The draft compels students to register passing marks (minimum 50 percent) in each subject they take in order to move on to the next grade. It allows for gifted students to skip grades but obliges all students to sit for national exams.

The draft also sets rules for eligibility to open schools and teach. Individuals previously charged with sexual abuse and other crimes cannot work as teachers. Individuals who are implicated in similar crimes or in court processes for bankruptcy will not be eligible to open schools.

MPs raised concerns over reports of salaries being withheld from teachers in many parts of the country.

“Education quality cannot be achieved while teachers are being paid very low salaries. Teachers are also being detained when they ask for raises. This education target cannot be achieved while several parts of the country remain in conflict and instability. There must also be a law that forces schools to enroll children affected by autism and other disabilities,” said Abebaw.

As other MPs scrambled to voice their comments and concerns over the bill, House Speaker Tagesse Chafo assured they would be able to forward their input in upcoming discussions with the parliamentary Standing Committee for Education.