Ethiopia: Tigray Rolls Out New Curriculum After 16 Years, but Funding and Textbook Shortages Threaten Implementation

What the report says

Tigray’s Education Bureau has introduced a new general education curriculum framework in Addis Abeba, replacing a system that had been in place for 16 years, according to Addis Standard as distributed by AllAfrica. The bureau said the overhaul is meant to reflect changes in society and technology, include indigenous knowledge alongside modern teaching methods, and adopt a competency-based approach that focuses more on problem-solving and practical skills than memorization.

The bureau’s head, Kiros Guesh, said the revision was also prompted by the damage the education sector suffered during the Tigray war, which disrupted learning and destroyed facilities and books. He said the framework was developed with input from university scholars and education professionals, with support from Mekelle University and international partners. The bureau also said UNICEF provided funding for the work, although officials said only part of that money could be used because of a federal budget block.

Implementation remains uncertain because of funding limits and a shortage of textbooks and other learning materials. Kiros warned that when classes begin in the new Ethiopian academic year, schools may have only a limited number of books available. Training for teachers has already started, but the bureau has not said how many teachers still need preparation or whether all schools will have enough resources in place.

The framework also changes several aspects of school structure, including a new ethics subject in primary school and a later introduction of Amharic. It divides general education into pre-primary, primary, middle and secondary levels, with secondary students able to choose academic or vocational tracks. The report suggests the reform is significant, but its success will depend on whether the region can secure the staffing, materials and funding needed after years of conflict-related disruption.