CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Even though the history of education in Ethiopia dates as far back as the introduction of
Christianity in Ethiopia during Ezana in 3300A.D, the first attempt to open school of European
style was for the first time made by the Jesuit in the 16th century. This attempt was not continued
due to the outstanding of Jesuits following the removal of emperor Susinyos. Toward the end of
the 19th century, several factors accentuated the need for modern education. The establishment of
strong central government and permanent urban seats of modern development of modern sector
economy like manufacturing activities, establishment of foreign embassies of Adwa, are, among
others, the main factors that have contributed for the development of modern education in
Ethiopia. Modern education has started at the beginning of the 20th century and officially
commenced in 1908 with opening of Menelik 1st School in Addis Ababa. (Ministry of education,
2004),
Ethiopian education in general has two systems of main sub-sectors that are institutionally
separate:-
1. Formal educational sub-sector, which consist of academic and technical and training at
primary, secondary and tertiary level; and
2. Non-formal education which includes:-
Technical vocational skills trained and extensive contact for youth and adults. Between 1962 and
1994 the general education in Ethiopia divided into three these are:-
• primary school (grade1-6)
• junior secondary school (grade7-8)
• senior secondary school (grade9-12)
Education reforms in 1994 revised the structure so that it now cons in 1994 revised the structure
and modify the previous system of education so after 1994 consists of primary education (grade1-
8) which also consists of first cycle (grade 1-4) which aims at achieving the functional literacy
and the second cycles (grade5-8) prepares students for further education, general secondary
education and training, and second cycles of the secondary education (grade11-12), that prepares
student for higher education.

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1.1.1. Educational policies and strategies in Ethiopia.
Attempts to formulate the education sector policies during imperial regime were limited to a
proclamation (1943 and 1948) which deals with the organization and duties and responsibilities
of the ministry of education and its duties. It was made to adapt the Ethiopian education to the
needs of the country and expands the coverage of the activities in the provision of special training
for the sector and education system. (Ministry of Education of Ethiopia, 2004),
1.1.2. Performance of education sector in the Ethiopia.
Education directly improves the productivity and rates of return and earnings of people. In
addition to this, education has or wide range of indirect effects, which instigate positive changes
in peoples attitudes toward work and society. It make easier to learn new skills throughout their
lives and hence facilitate their participation in modern economies and societies. It also important
factor which affects the health and life expectancy of individuals, because if equips them with the
knowledge and the means to present control and direct disease. (Ministry of Education of
Ethiopia, 2004)
Primary school enrollment increased from about 957,300 in 1974/75 to nearly 2,450,000 in
1985/86. There were still variations among regions in the number of students enrolled and a
disparity in the enrollment of boys and girls. Nevertheless, while the enrollment of boys more
than doubled, that of girls more than tripled. Urban areas had a higher ratio of children enrolled
in schools, as well as a higher proportion of female students, compared with rural areas. (Ministry
of Education, 2004)
The number of junior secondary schools almost doubled, with fourfold increase in Gojam,
Kefa, and Welega. Most junior secondary schools were attached to primary schools. The number
of senior secondary schools almost doubled as well, with fourfold increase in Arsi, Bale, Gojam,
Gonder, and Welo. The pre-Revolutionary distribution of schools had shown a concentration in
the urban areas of a few administrative regions. In 1974/75 about 55 percent of senior secondary
schools were in Eritrea and Shewa, including Addis Ababa. In 1985/86 the figure was down to 40
percent. Although there were significantly fewer girls enrolled at the secondary level, the
proportion of females in the school system at all levels and in all regions increased from about 32
percent in 1974/75 to 39 percent in 1985/86. (Ministry of education, 2006)

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1.1.3. Education in Oromia Regional states

Regarding to Oromia regional states of Ethiopia, it is one of the regions in the country where both
formal and non-formal education do not reach the majority of the population. The school in the
regions are unevenly distributed and mostly physically and materially and deteriorated. This
deterioration is due to cultural and other constraints there is a higher dropout rate at the lower
level which mostly affects girls’ participation in the education of the region. (Finance and
Development Bureau of Oromia, 2005), Education system of Oromia regional state normally
consists of formal and non-formal education.
Formal education comprises of primary, secondary educations, technical and vocational
educations. The data that recorded in 2005 in Oromia regional bureau of educations shows that,
two teachers training institute (TTI), four teachers training college (TTC), 38 technical and
vocational education training (TVET), of which 36 and 2 are government and non-government
centers respectively. Moreover, there are 164 secondary schools, and 4893 primary schools in the
Oromia regions. (Regional Education Bureau of Oromia, 2005), Education in Aweday town
1.1.3.1 Performance of education in oromia regional state
As can be seen from the trend of growth of number of educational facilities stated in the
previous section, tremendous efforts were made to improve access to education facilities over the
past seven years (1987-1995 E.C). According to the available data in this regard the number of
primary schools has increased from 4069 to 4893. Likewise, the number of secondary schools has
also increased from 108 to 164, which is a commendable achievement over a shorter period of
time. This generally indicates that on an average the regional government has been constructing
and putting in operation about 103 primary and 7 secondary schools each year. It is apparent from
this, that the rate of increase in senior secondary schools facilities is by far significantly lower
than that of primary schools affecting the quality of and access to secondary level of education.
1.1.3.2. Enrollment of education in oromia regional state
The analysis of the performance of primary education enrolment shows that there was an
increment over the past seven years from 21% (1987) to 66.7% in 1995. Generally, the primary
education enrolment rate was growing at an average rate of about 5.8% per annum. By and large,
the current level of enrolment as well as the annual growth rate compared to the level of 1987 is
encouraging. Nonetheless, the level of primary education participation has remained low
compared to the achievements of some of the regional states (Tigray 77.6% and SNNP 67.5%).

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On the other hand, the gender gap is getting wider growing from 12% in 1987 to 31% in 1995.
Therefore, it is obvious that what has been achieved over the past seven years has favored male
than female signifying the required level of attention to be paid in order to improve female's
participation in primary education. Lack of proximity, lack of opportunity to go to the next higher
level of education, low income of parents, lack of awareness of the benefits of education by some
parents and poor facilities are among factors contributing to lower enrolment rate at primary
education level. Similar to gender gap there is significant disparity of enrolment rate among
godina's. In line with this, Arsi has attained the highest enrollment rate of 86.3% in 1995, whereas
Borena is standing at only 46.6%, which is the lowest enrollment rate compared to all other
godina's of Oromia. (Education bureau of Oromia, 2006)
1.1.3.3. Education in Aweday town
Aweday town is one of the towns of the Eastern Hararge Zone of Oromia which is located
between Harar and Haramaya towns. In this town there are both private and public schools.
Among these schools kindergarten, primary schools and high schools which are owned by public
and private owners. This implies even the institution or schools are owned not only by
government but also by private. The education problems in Aweday town in the region are very
high. Lack of class rooms, problems faces student in the schools, among the town of Oromia
region the least or the lowest in development of education is Aweday town.

1.2. Statement of the problems

The number of school going children is increasing from year to year. Here is a need to provide
the educational facilities for them through opening of various types of educational institutions.
Because of different constraints like poverty, cultural factors majority of the population do not
send their children to school at distant place. The characteristics of education sector can be
expressed mainly in terms of accessibility, affordability, adequacy and quality. This factor can
affect school attainment through their effect on enrollment learning outcomes both directly and
indirectly through of their effects on school attendance. Private tuition and more generally the
learning enhancing behavior of children and their related home hold. Accessibility to schools
usually determine by distance from home to school for children. Female student’s enrollment is
negatively affected by cultural and gender related problems.

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1.3. Objectives of the study.
The general objectives of this study are to be identifying the problems and prospects of education
in Ethiopia particularly in Aweday town. In addition to these general objectives there are other
specific objectives these are:-
1. To study the existing availability and capacity of various types of educational institutions and
number of admission seekers in Aweday town.
2. To identify the problems of available institutions and their causes and effects.
3. To explore the opportunities for expansion of various education in the near future.
1.4. Significance of the study
This research is significant in that it can add as pot of information to the existing body of
knowledge on the educational sectors in general and on factors affecting the development of
education sectors in particular. Besides, the result of the findings of this research paper will
serves as building block for any interested individuals or groups who are willing to carry out
further and detailed studies on related topics. And it could be help some how to imitate policy
concerns, which are necessary to tackle the problems of education.
1.5. Scope of the study.
As to the geographical coverage, this research is confined to the problems and prospects of
education in Aweday town in the year 2008. In terms of dimensional aspects of problems and
prospects of education it considers factors affecting prospects of educational sectors, on the other
hand focuses on the performance of educational sectors. The factors that affect prospects of
educational sectors are have various constraints such as poverty, economic problems, family
related barriers, cultural constraints; school related problems are the main scope of this study.
1.6. Limitation of the study
Research work requires availability of sufficient time, money and other resource. Time is a major
resource affecting the research work; in addition, the willingness of concerned or high school
teachers and students to give adequate information will be limitation of the work. Consequently,
the one that most limiting factors for the study is that the data requirements are not fully satisfied
due to lack of time series data on the problems and prospects of education sectors in the zone of
eastern Hararge particularly in Aweday town.

1.7 Methodology of the study

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1.7.1 Types and source of data.
On the problems and prospects of education, education bureau of Oromia, Federal ministry of
education, economic and development bureau of Aweday town, directors of kindergarten,
primary, secondary, high school and some written materials on educational problems and
prospects were used as a source of this study.
Regarding world problems and prospects the data that collected different documents like
internet world bank on the problem of education UNESCO documents are also used as a source
of educational problems in case of gender gap in education.
1.7.2. Method of Data collection
The data collected by using both primary and secondary method of data collection. In primary
data collection the researcher collect data by preparing questionnaires and in the case of
secondary data collection the researcher collected data from different documents, Ministry of
Education, a written material which has been done on the problem and prospects of education.
1.7.3. Method of data analysis
The data analyzed by using descriptive statistics, ratios, and percentages.

1.8 Organization of the paper

This research contains four chapters. The first chapter comprised from background of the study,
statement of the problems, objective of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study,
limitation, methodology, and organization of the paper. The second part describes related
literature of the study. The third chapter explains the discussion and analysis and discussion of
the data. The fourth chapter based on the third chapters gives recommendation and conclusion.

CHAPTER TWO

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 2. LITERATURE REVIEWS
This chapter contains two parts. The first part discussed related literatures which is theoretical
while the second part explains empirical literature. In this chapter the researcher will be discuss
the related literature from the previews research paper and other documents which

2.1. Theoretical literature

2.1.1 Constraints on the Impact of Formal education
Some of the major factors influencing the provision of formal education and limiting its
effectiveness for poor and disadvantaged people are:
1. Global economic relations: - these play a key role in determining the effectiveness of formal
education in achieving development for society as a whole. Even where the state invests heavily
in education and is committed to social equality and development.
2. Differentiated access and opportunities: - education promotes social advancement, raises the
states of women and leads to improvements in health and childcare. However, educational
opportunities is limited by the proximity to urban centers, poverty, and by discrimination based
on gender, class race or cultures. For example, in Costa Rica, the national figures for adult
illiteracy in 1984 were 7 percent, but in the poorest rural areas was almost 20 percent. The
discrimination suffered by the people because of their cultures or limits their access to education
and their opportunities to use it effectively.
They have to choose between potential alienation from their own culture, and the need to
master language and cultural forms of the dominant society in order to survive successfully
within it. These choices are experienced differently by women and men. (Eade and William,
1995).
3. Gender: - this is crucial factor in determining educational opportunities; girl’s often fore worse
than boys’ interims of primary school enrollment. There are considerable differences in the level
of the males and females education in most arts of the world. In the Afghanistan, Guinea, Burkina
Faso, Somalia, and Nepal, females’ illiteracy in 1990 was twice as high as the figures for males.
In Salvadoran rural women’s organization founded by Oxfam only one percent of the members
could read one percent of the members could read and write. Bangladesh is an extreme example,
where of the 60 percent of all children who enroll fewer than 10 percent are girls the ratios are
generally worse at secondary level and above. Fewer than have as many girls as boys are enrolled

7
in secondary school in Sub-Saharan Africa 15 percent and 44 percent respectively. There are
many factors for unequal educational opportunities of girls and boys. Mothers are likely to have
received inadequate schooling themselves, and their daughters generally bear the burden of
domestic work and childcare from an early age. The expectation of early marriage or (fact of
teenage pregnancy) is also used to justify cutting short girl’s education. In self-fulfilling cycle,
since greater employment opportunities exists for men than women, boys’ education takes
priority over girls’ education because they are more likely to be able to use it. Cultural factors can
reinforce gender based discrimination women are often regarded as bearers of traditional culture,
particularly, culture identifies are threatened. In such circumstances, they may be formal
education (Eade and William, 1995)
4. Poverty:-the poorest people are hardest hit inflation, unemployment, and cuts in services. They
cannot always afford to keep children at school, particularly at the secondary level. Costs of
education including clothes, books, equipment and maintenance, and fees. The economic
difficulties of poor families increase the pressure on children to earn money either instead of or in
addition to going to school. A further formal education is irrelevant to their economic and cultural
need which in often born out by a chronic lack of employment opportunities which make use of
skills gained at school. In addition, poor children live in environment where study is difficult and
where poor health, over work, and malnutrition may leave them without energy and concentration
to learn (Eade and William, 1995).

2.1.2. The gender gap in education.

Low adult literacy rates prevail throughout the developing world. In fourteen developing
countries where literacy date are available, only one in five adult women can read, where as the
literacy rates for men ate as low in only five of these countries. Recent estimates suggest that
only one out of two women in Asia is literate and only out of three in sub- Saharan Africa
(UNESCO, 1992).
School enrollment rates have been rising for both girls and boys at all levels in the past two
decades. Primary school enrolment, in particular, has out paced the growth of youth population,
although a few low income countries especially, in sub-Saharan Africa experienced decline in
primary enrollments in the 1980’s. (UNESCO, 1992).

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 Many countries have no universal primary education for males and females. But girls
enrollments continuous to lag behind in many others, most dramatically in south Asian, west
Asia, north Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. With exception of Sri Lanka, all south Asian nations
have much lower gross enrollment ratios (GER) for girls than for boys. In Bhutan, girls’
enrollment in 1983 was 19 percent compared to 34 percent for boys; in Nepal, 49 percent for
girls’ and compared with 110 percent for boys’, in Pakistan, 38 percent versus 73 percent; in
Bangladesh, and 50 percent versus 110 percent. Where as in Latin America and nearly all East
Asia countries such large male-female differences had disappeared by 1985 (UNESCO, 1992).
At post primary levels, the gender gap widens in some countries, but narrows in others,
why does the gender gap exist? The supply of schools has expanded greatly in the past twenty
five years, leading to accommodating the increase in primary school enrollment over that period.
Moreover, there are few restrictions to the admission of girls at the primary school level. To
understand why, despite this expansion, a large proportion of school or dropout early in many
developing countries, one need to consider the many factors affect the education of girls and boys
differently. For many families the differed possible benefits do not seem large enough to offset
immediate costs like school fees or the loss of child labor parents do not often consider the less
obvious benefits that education generates (like improved productivity) when deciding whether to
send children to school or to favor sons, partly because they are the ones expected to go out and
earn more family income, so this may be the cost of efficient response by parents to constraints of
family resources. One less or from experience is that expanding access simply by building more
schools, relating admission policies or instituting quotas for girls may lead to higher levels of
female enrollment at margin.
Distortion with labor market due to discriminating employment practice against women
reduce, their attempt earning and benefits that women can expect to gain from education even
when jobs are available. Example, restriction against the living of married in wage paying-jobs in
manufacturing or service sectors. Explicit or implicit entry barriers against women in certain
occupations serve as obstacles to education. Some of these barriers begin at the primary school
level, with teachers and text book projecting attitudes that discourage school attendance and
performance of girls. Stereotype may persist of girls not being as good as boy in technical
subjects or mathematics.
Even obstacles which begin at the post primary level can nevertheless

9
inhibit girls’ school attendance and motivation at the primary stage.
In Dominica Republic, three of the most important schools for middle level technology training
bar women even though they have stipends from the national governments. In Pakistan, women
are also allowed to enroll in seventy-two of the secondary school, vocational institution because
of strict sex segregation. (UNESCO, 1992).
In some societies, customs dictates that son take possibility for their parents, whilst
girls marry out of their families at the early age and into their husband’s families. The earlier
marriage age, the fewer parents enjoy the benefits of their daughter’s education. In Bangladesh,
75 percent married women living in rural areas were married by the age of seventeen. In India, 75
percent of this group
were married by the age twenty-two some evidences suggests that when girls do not marry so
early, but spend some of their time working in the labor force, parents are more willing to educate
their daughters. (www.unesco.org/edu/html)
In Hong Kong women who tend to marry at a later age and help their parents in the interims
appear to reach higher educational levels than others. In parts of southern India, because the more
educated women are recognized as having a higher potential for earning, some grooms parents
are willing to accept pre-payment of dormitories in the form of higher level schooling of the
perspective daughters in law. (UNESCO, 1993).
Parents also may have poor knowledge of the benefits of education to the family’s
current health and welfare and prosperity of their grand children. They may not be aware that the
benefit of education are inter generational and accumulates over time. Or of families may not be
appreciating the benefits of girls’ education in countries where the “Suitable” of educated women
to be good wives in held in doubt. A balance must be starving between providing courses that
help women. Fulfill traditional roles, but at the same time not allowing curricula to lock women
out of wider educational opportunities. Education itself, along with economic change, can and
should be powerful force in modifying traditional view points on girls’ schooling. (UNESCO,
1992).
Even if they are aware of potential long-range benefits of education, parents may be unable to
afford the tuition, materials, transportation, boarding fees and others. Costs of sending girls to
school. Location, distance and even clothing requirements can make the effective cost of school
attendance higher for girls. Gender differences enter in when, for instance, parents are more

10
reluctant to send girls to school without proper clothing of young daughters’ in some cultures
deters them from allowing girls’ to attend distant schools requiring long travel daily or residence
away from home.
(UNESCO, 1992)
In countries where religion requires seclusion of women parents allow girls’ to attend only
single sex schools with female teachers, or they withdraw girls at the onset of puberty. Thus, the
availability of schools with female teachers may be of decisive importance, in low-income
countries. Only one third of primary, less than one fourth of secondary, and just over one tenth of
tertiary education teachers are women. The shortage largely reflects the limited pool of potential
women teachers, as a result of low schooling levels of girls, and the reluctance of young women
teachers to work in rural areas. This reason is because cultural attitudes discourage young, single
women from moving far from home and living alone. The shortage supply of safe dormitories for
women even in technical training institute exacerbates the situation. Also women from rural areas
usually do not qualify to enroll in teacher training schools in the cities, and there are few
programmes in rural areas to identify, recruit and train girls to become teachers. Finally, parents
may not feel able to afford to send girls to school if it means their labor cannot be used in
traditional ways. Although in some countries boys perform a large share of family labor such as
livestock herding, with few exception girls do more work than boys in the home and in the
market place. In Nepal and Java (Indonesia) most young girls’ spend at least a third more hours
per day working at home and in the market than boys of the same age groups as much as 85
percent more hours. 129-150 percent more hours than boys. Clearly, girls who work more than
their brothers will less likely to attend school, perform less well. In addition to lost labor, parents
in many countries feel that girls will lose important training at home in childcare, household and
crafts if they go to school. (UNESCO, 1992).
2.1.3 Gender literacy and cultural difference
Gender literacy and cultural difference one area of apparent
Controllers concern the extent to which the obstacles to girls and women’s education are similar
across cultures. One view is that in all cultures, although in varying degree, male/female
relationship place obstacles in the way of girls’ and women’s full participation in education.
Patriarchy is manifested in two ways: the sexual division of labor, and control over women’s
sexuality. Both these factors so condition a women’s worldview that marriage, husband, and

11
family become the be-all and-all for the existence. They also limit women’s mental horizons and
push education from her attention. As girl’s grow up, socialized into their future roles as sexual
division of labor the second components, control over women’s sexuality, ensures that women
maintain their roles as wives and mothers and is the cause of women’s inability to control their
fertility and its associated consequences, including unwanted pregnancies, the practice of early
marriage, restricted physical mobility for women, and domestic violence. (UNESCO, 1992),
Who benefits from all this? Whose interests are served as by these existing conditions? In
feminist theory, it is undoubtedly men who benefit. Does this mean that feminists are setting
women against men and women and men against women? The answer is no most feminists seem
to be seeking a more egalitarian society in which women are treated as equals with men
“According to feminist theory, the problem of women’s illiteracy will not be solved merely
underlying problem is not technical. For change to occur, individual men in a male-dominated
state will have to re-examine and modify their own values and attitudes. An alternative view is
that cultural difference between countries is more important than some feminist would accept.
For example, successful literacy ventures in Pakistan are often community based; the important
thing is to change total attitudes. In Feriur-ban Karachi this has been done. Successfully using
flexible working hours both formal and non-formal teaching methods, and education both parents
and children, adults are motivated to learn via primary economic interests (functional literacy)
who has become the subject of the basic education curriculum. Residential facilities for teachers
based in community have led to greater school community interaction and help facilitates more
opportunities for girls and for more women. The whole programme has helped produce a
positive, confident self concept of women. However, cultural constraints are undeniably
powerful. For, example, the word “child”, which is gender is neutral in English language, has
masculine connection in south Asia. Here the stark reality is that, by and large, girls are denied
that joyful care free period of growing and learning that is called child hood. Very little value is
attached to girls she is caught in a men of cultural practices and social prejudices from the
moment of her birth. Although she works twice as hard as her brother, and her labor contributes
to the survival of the family, neglect and malnutrition, treated as lesser human being and brought
up to believe that she does not count. Therefore, in any society that aims to social justice in any
policy that seeks to move towards quality of educational opportunity, attention has to be focused
is contrary to entrenched cultural values. Changes in education that do not enhance the states of

12
women are not likely either to be generally accepted or to reduce women’s present state of under
development.
2.1.4. Problems that female student face in Addis Ababa High schools
Another researcher (Emebet, 2003) classified problems of girl’s education under
subheadings of economic constraints, family related barriers and cultural barriers economic
constraints. The impact of poverty on women’s education can be studied at two levels: Country
level and family level. Although the degree of poverty in country affects the education and in
general the life of its citizens, the effect can be moderated by the socioeconomic status a family
has within the society (Emebet, 2003 p.33)
In discussing the effects of poverty on the education of women, Njeuman (1993) explained
that much improvement has been observed in the education of women since the 1960’s (Emebet,
2003).
However, poverty is still slowing the progress. Discussing African, the pointed out that among
thirty poorest countries in the world, twenty are found in Africa. Under these circumstances, the
major concern is the provision of education for children in general; it is difficult to give special
attention to girl’s, she further pointed out that although many developing countries put sign out
amounts of money and energy into education, several of them were not able to provide it for all
school age children. (Emebet, 2003 p.34),
Enrollment of girls in school does not guarantee success and completion in these poor countries.
Strongest (1990) noted that in all developing countries were the United Nations under took
studies, during recession years; girl’s often experienced a change in parental plans for enrollment.
In such years parents choose retain daughters at home assist with work and income generating
activities, which would result in lower female attainment. (Emebet, 2000).
Because of this fiscal strait, the inequality of males and females in the area of education is
quite staggering. Hyde (1993:101) pointed out that in Sub-Saharan Africa, one of the most
enduring kinds of educational inequality are one observed between males and females. This
inequality is reflected in lower levels of attainment and higher dropout and repetition rates for
girls. It is also apparent in different curriculum choices offered to or made by men and women at
the secondary and tertiary levels; most notably in the low enrollment figures for women’s in
scientific and technical fields (Emebet, 2003 p.34).

13
 The above situation is clearly observed in the Ethiopia case. In urban areas we find
female enrolled in high schools in great number; 50.6percent of the students in Addis Ababa in
the academic year 1998/99 were women as sited in (Emebet, 2003 p.34). However, this high rate
of enrollment is accompanied by a staggering rate of repetition. In the same academic year 61.4
percent of the repeaters were females (MOE, 2000 p.62).
Among the students who are enrolled in the various higher education institutions for
undergraduate degree programme, only 11.6 percent were females. The percentage of female
students in science fields is more discouraging (Science 9.7 percent, Medicine 11.7 percent,
Technology 12.9 percent, and Agriculture 4.7 percent)) Emebet, 2003, p.34/5). One of reflection
of poverty in developing countries is the uneven distribution of schools across the regions. This
related to school distance. In most of the larger cities, we find a good concentration of schools of
all levels, including colleges, through some students in rural areas have to travel for hours to find
a single high school distance is identified to be an important factor affecting girls education in
many developing countries. Sronguest (1989) indicated that this holds true for rural as well as
urban areas where transportation costs may be high. In many rural areas of Ethiopia, as the girls
pass to high school they are require to go towns to learn. This situation pushes many parents to
take their daughters out of school. (Emebet, 2003 p.34).
Several studies indicated that the socio-economic states of the family are highly
correlated with the enrollment and persistence of daughters. Hyde (1993) explained that girls who
come from economically advantaged families are much more likely entered and remained in
secondary schools than are girls from disadvantaged families. A similar situation is observed in
Ethiopia. In a study of female student in higher educational institution, it was found that among
the 118 schools attended by the respondents, only 13 were private or catholic schools and almost
all these schools were located in the capital or cities. Thirty-five percent of the female students
who entered colleges came from these 13 schools. In some cases, family socio-economic status
(SES) plays more important role than parental education in getting children in to private schools
is often considered a status symbol. (Emebet, 2003 p.35).
2.1.4.1. Poverty
At the both country and family level, is a detriment to the education of women although it
interferes with the education of all children, its correlation is much stronger for female.

14
Stronguest(1998:150) explained that the higher the income of the family, the greater the desire of
parents for their daughters’ education (Emebet, 2003 p.36).
2.1.4.2 Family related barriers
Family plays a very important role indenturing the degree of access girls have to education and
their level of achievement. There are several family related factors, which including location of
upgrading, parental schooling, and family income (FDRE report on education, 2005 p.36).
Geographical location, urban or rural, can significantly affect the education of children.
According to several studies carried out in developing countries, growing up in rural
communities worsen school opportunities for females more than for males. In the study carried
out in Ethiopia, Abraham, etal (1991) found that urban girls enrolled in school are more likely to
persist than rural ones. The study findings remained consistent, both when girls were studied
alone, and when they were compared to boys. The urban-rural distinction also influences to
greater extent the academic performance of female students. Abraham, etal (1991) stated that in
Ethiopia, girls enrolled in schools found in urban areas had better performance on the national
exam than the girls who attend schools located in rural areas (Emebet, 2003 p.35).
Though, in general, girls in the cities have a better prospect of accessing and succeeding in
their education, and also studying the field/subjects they want, they have their-share of barriers to
over come. In Genet’s (1994) study, was indicated some of the problems of girls in Addis Ababa
high schools encounter were lack of study time to heavy load of house hold chores, dropping out
because of failure to pass exams and pregnancy, and teachers’ biased attitudes. (Emebet, 2003
p.36)
2.1.4.3 Cultural barriers
Culture influences the education of women in various ways. One is the cultural division of
labor, Zewdie and Jungles (1990) study of four peasants associations in Ethiopia indicated that
women spend about 15 or more hours on various chores important for the household. Under this
circumstance, it is the girls who share the burden of their mothers by spending time on the chores
instead of their studies. Though on time use study has been carried out in the cities, Genet (1994)
pointed out that parent, and females’ students themselves and their teachers indicated that the
female students spend much time on the household chores (Emebet,2003 p.36).
Early marriage parents are other cultural impediments to girls’ education. Studies in many
developing countries indicated that the number of girls attending school abruptly drops when the

15
reach the age of 15 to 19. One major reason for the phenomena is early marriage. In most
developing countries, early marriage and education are anti theatrical. Bach, etal (1985) reported
that more education women attained, the older their age at marriage. The issue of women’s
education in developing countries is very complex. It is affected by several factors among which
are economic, political, and social. Other factors, related to culture or religion. The effect of these
factors usually differs from place to place, and one factor can be influenced by any of the others.
Studies indicate, however, that they operate in most developing countries and negatively affect
women’s education, (Emebet, 2003 p.36).

2.1.5. Major Quality Indicator

2.1.5.1. Class size student/section ratio
Class size is a subject of considerable debate among educators, psychologists and
philosophers. The issue at stake is whether or not class size is not quality determination.
Theoretically, an optimal class size is a size that allow for sufficient interaction between teachers
and student through question/answer session, group activities and student assignment. Nardos
(1998) states that class size should allow the teacher to observe pedagogical principles such as
knowing ones students by name and attending to the particular needs of each student (Befekadu,
Berhanu and Getahun, 2000/2001).
Broadly speaking, there are two schools of thought regarding the effect of class size on quality of
education. The traditionalists argue that if the size is too large, the teacher could not perform any
of these activities effective or could not perform them at all. Therefore, the quality of education
will be low. However, the latest thinking is that is not absolutely necessarily for teacher to lead all
teaching and learning activities. Innovative techniques could be introduced to help students take a
charge of the learning process. Examples of innovative techniques are peer evaluation, group
work and computer assisted instruction. These techniques reduce teacher burden and result in
considerable financial saving for the institution and quality of education will not fall. Notice that
according to this view, the negative effects of large class size can be partially compensated using
these new techniques. In the absence of this technique, however, quality will suffer from large
class size. (Befekadu, Berhanu and Getahun 2000/2001)
In developed countries like UK 25-30 students per class is considered a reasonable size for an
effective teaching learning process. But such small sizes have considerable implications, more

16
teachers and more class rooms. In developing countries such as Ethiopia cannot afford such class
sizes. Thus, a higher size is to be expected, the issue, however, is how high can they go without
seriously affecting the quality of education?
According to some educations in Ethiopia high schools. Particularly, in grade nine, the number of
student in each class room has passed the 100 mark in some urban schools. In the upper grades
65 students per section is regarded as a good number because it is the lowest number we can find
in some schools. Even with this number for instance, it is not possible to take students to the
laboratory to do experiments, practical learning in which students actively participate cannot be
conducted as sited in (Befekadu, Berhanu and Getahun, 2000/2001).
Class size in Addis Ababa University has also increased significantly in recent years. In the
economic department of AAU, which we are the most familiar with, for example, the number of
2nd and 3rd year students (where there is one section per year) has increased from 43 students per
sections in the early 90’s to over hundred since the mid 90’s without any increase in the teachers
or instructional materials such as large class size inhibits teachers from giving written
assignments because it could take along time to grade. Because of that, students at many faculties
of AAU are evaluated by one in a semester, usually objective type questions for their final exam
which surely is inadequate to evaluate form AAU without writing a paper save for the revered
senior thesis. That is partly many educators and businessmen complain about the low level of
language proficiency (both oral and written) among University graduates. This observation
indicates that there is a clear relationship between class size and quality of education in Ethiopia
knowledge learn in classroom. It should be noted that class size is only one variable that
contributes to quality of education. (Befekadu, Berhanu and Getahun 2000/2001)
2.1.5.2. Student/teacher ratios (STR)
The student/teacher ratio is also indicates the quality of education as class size refers to the
average number of in a given lesson; student/teacher ratio is a measure of the over all burden on
teachers. In other words, it measures the utilization of teachers force. In the new Education and
Training policy, the recommended student/teacher ratio for senior high school is 40. The Ministry
of education data schools that student/teacher ratio has been increasing over the last five years. In
the 1995/96, the national average was 33 students per teacher. By 1999/2000, this has risen to 43.
According to Getachew and Luiseged (1995), twenty-five years ago, the national average was 30

17
students per teachers. This indicates that the utilization of the secondary school teacher force has
been increasingly but only slightly.
Like all indicators of quality, regional variations are evident in student/teacher ratio. In
1999/2000 academic year, the three highest student/teacher ratios were observed in Tigray (61),
Addis Ababa (50) and Amhara (49). Data supplied by Addis Ababa Administration Education
Bureau indicate that the average student/teacher ratio is 50 for academic year of 2000/01. There
are some regions with student/teacher ratios for below the national average. For example, Afar
(23) and Somali (19).
2.1.5.3. Number of qualified teachers
Another important indicator of quality of education is the number of qualified teachers. The
governments’ education policy has clearly indicated what the standard for teacher qualification
ought to be. According to the New Education and Training Policy, the minimum qualifications for
teachers at all levels are:
 First cycle (1-4) schools teachers should have obtained the certificate
from teacher training institute (TTI)
 Second cycle (5-8) school teacher should have obtained diploma from
teacher training college (TTC).
 Senior secondary (9-12) school teachers should have obtained degree in
the subject they are assigned to teach.
However, not all teachers meet this minimum qualification at the moment. This is particularly
true at primary level where teachers are not always recruited through the proper channels. It is not
uncommon for example, to see in primary schools around the country failures and dropouts from
high schools teaching primary students without any training in teaching techniques. The Ministry
of Education estimates that there are over 17000 teachers unqualified and under qualified
currently teaching at lower and upper primary levels. To remedy this chronic problem the
Ministry of Education has recently launched an aggressive campaign to raise the standard of
teaching at all primary teachers using a variety of modes of education including distance
education and summer schools. The objectives is to upgrade unqualified or under qualified
teachers in the first five years of education sector development program (Education Bureau of
Education, 2007).

18
 When teacher is qualified it often means obtaining a diploma or degree in a subject he/she is
assigned to teach. Example, a teacher who teaches history in high school should have degree on
the subjects of history. It rarely refers to acquiring the necessary teaching skills. It is generally
assumed that graduates can teach without proper training in teaching techniques and instructional
decisions. This of course, is not always the case. Therefore, efforts to upgrade teachers should
also include equipping graduates with the necessary teaching skills to ensure quality of education
at high schools and higher education levels.
Qualified and motivated teachers are perhaps the most important variable in providing
quality of education at each stage and build strong base for the next stage of schooling. The
problem of qualification goes beyond the formal criteria and is possibly worse because formal
achievements of diploma do not necessarily imply that person has really learned what the
diploma signifies. The problem is a series decline in the quality of higher education institutions.
In the developing country such as Ethiopia, we need qualified teacher who can use their
imagination to make the limited resource go along way. But the vicious cycle becomes apparent
if the teachers are trained in a poor education environment. They are required to teach in a poor
education environment than they went through. Clearly, the issue of teacher qualification and its
impact on quality of education is series concern for the country. (MOE, 2008)
Even when qualified, teachers need to be motivated to be effective in teaching. This
necessitates putting a proper material and incentive in place to keep them going in the face of
difficulties. As stated earlier, the material incentives provided to teachers is too low to be a source
of motivation. The good news here is that the government has recognized this problem and seems
to be willing to address it. In addition to the professional upgrading stated above, the government
is planning to put in a place of a new career structure that recognizes the newly acquired
qualification. (Ministry of Education, 2006). The degree to which both of these initiatives will
help ease the problem of the shortage of qualified teachers or whether more radical solution need
to be derived remains to be seen.
2.1.5.4. Availability of facilities
In developed countries where choice is the norm, parents visit schools to look at availability
and condition of facilities before making decision on where they enroll their children. Even in
developing countries like Ethiopia, the Ministry of Education believes that school facilities have
impact on the access, quality and equity.

19
 School faculties are tools to attract students in general and girls in particular. In
developing countries, where students to a given school have to choose among several schools,
facilities play an important role in attraction students to a given school facilities also ensure that
students learn in state environment. In Ethiopia, the choice of schools in the public sector is very
limited almost non-existent. The expansion of private schools is good sign that parents will soon
have choice, at least those that can afford it. Therefore, the Ministry of Education should set a
minimum standard to help parents make the right decisions. For example, each school should
have:
• Separate latrine facilities for boys and girls
• Adequate water supply point for washing and drinking
• Counseling services for personal education related problems
• Adequate laboratory facilities appropriate to the level of education
• Sufficient play group for personal and educational purposes.
Judged against this minimum standard, facilities currently available at schools are well below
what needed. For example, among schools that responded, below 30 percent reported to have
latrine facilities. There is no indication of the condition of these latrines. Similarly, only 2 percent
reported to have a clinic services, against there is no indication of the condition of these clinics
The present of pedagogical centers is very encouraging. Among schools, 71
percent reported to have a pedagogical center although there is no indication in the survey about
the quality of education of these centers. This Ministry of Education survey also asks schools if
they operated under a shift system and about 69 percent they do in 1990/2000 Fasil (1990). Since
double shift system was introduced during the second five year plan (1968-1973). Since double
shift system automatically doubles the school capacity, it recognized as the major factor in
increasing enrollment all over the country. However, its impact on quality was immediate
concern. Shift students spend less time on lessons no-shift students do. Where there is shortage of
teachers, some teachers may have to teach double shifts. These increase teacher’s burden, and by
definition, decrease their effectiveness (Ministry of Education, 2006).
2.1.5.5. Indicator of Internal efficiency
Internal efficiency refers to the best use of school resources within the school and output. It
measures the relationship between school and outputs. A school is internally efficient when its
educational goals are satisfied, the wider goals of the society are the subject of external,

20
efficiency discussed below student/teacher ratio, student/section ratio, and average school size are
indicator of resource utilization. Schools with the highest figures for these indicators are sending
to have used the resources at their disposal efficiency (Befekadu, Berhanu and Getahun,
2000/2001).
However, this interpretation needs careful consideration on the one hand, in a country where
nearly half of the school age children are out of school, it may sound un reasonable to teach
classes with half their view, over crowded classes are the underlining reasons for poor quality
education. Therefore, educational planners and policy makers should consider the intervention
between quality and access indicators. Increasing access to education elite out commensurate
investment in infrastructure is bound to have negative effect on quality
2.1.5.6. Indicator of External Efficiency
The objective of the society are used to measure external efficiency, which can be judged
by the balance between social cost and benefits, or the extent to which education satisfied man
power and employment needs. More specifically, the external efficiency of school may be judged
by how schools will prepare pupils and students for their roles in the society, as indicated by the
employment prospects and earning of students. Such as measures depend on external criteria
rather than on the results entirely within the school as sited in Befekadu, Berhanu and Getahun,
2000/2001)
This is a function of a number of factors. The chief among them is the relevance of the
curriculum to the development needs of the country. For a number of years, the Ethiopian
education system has been accused of being a carbon copy of foreign education systems. Some of
the accusations are that the system has been dominated by:

• Foreign languages at the expense of local languages

• World history and world geography at the expense of teaching local
history and local geography.
2.1.5.7. Gender Specific Indicators
At the present widely accepted that educating girls is the most important contributors to
improvements in quality of life at household as well as at national levels. Girls, when they
become mothers, make important economic decisions at household level. Therefore, educating
girls help the household and the nation in a number of ways including the following:

21
 • Make better household decisions
• Improve family planning
• Participate in the nations social, political and economic affairs
The Ministry of Education looks at three specific indicators involving female student
• Proportion of female students in a given school year
• Gender gap and
• Gender parity incident
2.2 Empirical Literature
2.2.1. Adult and youth illiteracy rate in the LDCs
Problem of education is the highest among the east African and sub-Saharan Africa countries for
example according to the table 2.2.1 below the illiteracy rate of Ethiopia is the highest among the
sub-Saharan Africa.
Table 2.2.1 which shows the youth and adult illiteracy rate in Eastern and sub-Saharan Africa
Country Youth illiteracy rate (%) Adult illiteracy rate (%)
Female Male Total Female Male Total
Ethiopia 61.5 37.8 49.65 77.4 50.0 63.7
Rwanda 23.1 21.5 22.3 40.2 28.6 34.4
Kenya 19.3 20.2 19.75 29.8 22.3 26.05
Angola 36.8 16.3 26.55 45.8 17.1 31.45
Burundi 29.6 23.2 26.4 47.8 32.7 40.25
Central 53.1 29.7 41.4 66.5 35.2 50.85
African
republic
Source: UNESCO illiteracy rate report, 2006
According to the above table 2.2.1 the illiteracy rate of both youth and adult is the highest among
the sub-Saharan African countries particularly; Ethiopia has the highest illiteracy rate in both
youth and adult illiteracy rate. Among the above country listed in the table Ethiopia has 61.5
percent of female youth illiteracy rate and 37.8 percent of male illiteracy rate and total of 49.65
percent of youth illiteracy rate. And Rwanda has also 23.1 percent of female youth illiteracy and
21.5 percent of male youth illiteracy and total of 22.3 percent of youth illiteracy rate. Kenya has
19.3 percent of female youth illiteracy rate and 20.2 percent of male youth illiteracy rate and total
of 19.75 percent of youth illiteracy rate. All countries of Africa which listed above are less youth

22
and adult illiteracy rate than Ethiopia so Ethiopia has the highest illiteracy rate in eastern and sub-
Saharan Africa which shown in the above table.
2.2.2. Primary education in Ethiopia
The change of structure of primary education over time has the implications on the school age of
the pupils involved. This in turn affects primary level, despite the fact that not all students in
primary education belong to that age groups. Primary enrolment increased on average during the
years 1974-2008. it increased from 961,580 to 3,080,710 in 1974-1990, from 2,871,325 to
7,401,473 in 1991-2001, 8,508,410 to 8,943,683 in 2002-2008/09
In terms of growth rate, enrolment in primary education recorded as a growth rate of 8.1 percent
17 percent, 5 percent 0.5 percent in 1974-1990, 1991-2001 and 2002-2008/09 respectively.
Which show decrement in the enrolment ratio but on average increase in enrolment of primary
education in Ethiopia. (MOE, 2002)

CHAPTER THREE

23
3.1. DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS PART
This chapter composed from two parts. The first part focuses on the data analysis which is
supported by the data collected from Aweday town Administration Bureau. The indicator
emphasized are various types of education, the number of teachers and students in the
institutions, educational level of teachers in primary, secondary and high schools, section student
ratio and student teacher ratio are the most focus of this part.
The second part of data analysis and discussion focuses on the analysis based on the data
collected through preparing questionnaires which were filled out by teachers and students of high
school and teachers of high school
Table 3.1. The number of institution (schools) in Aweday town, 2009.
Types of Institution Owned by No. of institution
Kindergarten Private 3
First cycle primary >> >> 3
(1-4)
Primary (1-8) >> >> 1
Primary (1-4) Government 1
Primary (5-8) >> >> 1
Primary (1-8) >> >> 1
Secondary (9-10) >> >> 1
Secondary (11-12) >> >> 1

Source: Aweday town bureau of Education, 2009

According to the above data there are totally 12 educational institutions without colleges and
higher education in Aweday town. Among those schools mentioned, 5 are governmentally owned
while 7 are schools operating privately. On the other hand, there are no colleges or universities or
no higher education in Aweday town since it depends on other town educationally. Regarding to
kindergarten or Nursery school, they are three numbers and there are three first cycle primary (1-
4) schools all of which are non governmental schools, there is one primary schools (1-8) which is
also owned by private.
Regarding to governmental schools, there are one primary (1-4) schools; one (5-8) schools
or secondary cycle primary, there are one primary (1-8) schools, and one secondary (9-12)
schools are found in Aweday town.
Table 3.2 the number of students, number of teacher’s section-student ratio and number of section
in governmental schools in Aweday town.

24
Schools Number of student Number of teachers Number Section-student ratio
Male female Total Male female total
of section
From 2070 1236 3306 30 18 48 80 1:41
(1-4)
From 1753 910 2663 38 14 52 50 1:53
(5-8)
From 1043 343 1386 29 __ 29 20 1:69
(9-10)
From 845 122 967 15 __ 15 10 1:96
(11-12)

Source: Aweday town Bureau of Education, 2009

__ Not available
According to the above data given table 3.2 above shown in the governmental schools (1-4);
there are 2070 males and 1236 females students and total of 3306 students in the first cycle
primary schools. The number of male teachers 30 and female teachers 18 and total of 48 teachers
and number of section in the same level of first cycle primary school is 80. From the data given
above the second cycle primary (5-8) schools there are 1753 males and 910 females and total of
2663 students and number of teachers are 38 male and 12 female teachers and total of 50 teachers
in the second cycle primary schools and the number of section is 50. On the other hand, first
cycle secondary (9-10) schools there are 1043 males and 343 females and total of 1386 students
and the number of male teacher 19 and with not available number of female teachers in this level
and the number of section in this cycle 18. Consequently, the second cycle secondary school (11-
12) schools there are 990 males and 180 females’ students and total of 1170 students. In this the
second cycle secondary there are only 12 teachers and number of section is 12.
The above table also shows level of classes, number of sections, and section student ratio.
Accordingly, in classes from grade 1-4, the ratio is one in forty one. This means in a single
section, 41 students learn for 1-4 classes, while 53 students are learning in section for the second
cycle primary schools (5-8), and 69 and 96 students are learning in a section for first cycle
secondary schools (9-10) and second cycle secondary schools (11-12) respectively.
Table 3.3 shows the number of students, number of teachers and number of section in private
school in Aweday town.

25
Schools Number of students Number of teachers Number of
Male Female Total Male Female Total section
First cycle 750 450 1,200 17 3 20 12
primary(1-4)
Second cycle 570 271 841 12 3 15 7
primary(5-8)

Source: Aweday town Education Bureau (ATEB), 2009

According to the table 3.3 above which shows the number of students, number of teachers and
number of sections in the private schools. For instance, in the first cycle primary schools (1-4)
there are 750 males and 450 females and total of 1,200 students in this level with the number of
male teacher 17 and female teacher 3 and total of 20 teachers and the number of section is twelve.
As indicated the second cycle primary schools (5-8) there are 570 males and 271 females and
total of 841 students in this level.
The number of teacher also has shown those 12 male teachers and 3 female teachers and total of
15 teachers in the second cycle primary schools with number of sections seven.

Table 3.4 Teachers and level of education in governmental schools in Aweday town, schools (1-
12).
Level of Number of teachers
Male Female Total
education
TTI 30 18 48
Diploma 38 12 50
Degree 18 __ 18
Total 86 30 116

Source: Aweday town capacity building, 2009

26
As shown above, those male teachers whose level of education TTI are 30 while female teachers
are 18 which mean the number of total teacher in this level is 48. Which all are TTI. Regarding to
diploma level of education, 38 males and 12 females are diploma graduates whose quality of
education is more than that of TTI. Concerning degree graduates, there are 18 males and the
number of female’s degree graduates is not available. On the other hand, among the total teachers
found in the governmental schools from 1-12, the ratio of TTI teachers is 41.37 %, the ratio of
diploma graduates 43.10 % and the ratio of degree graduates is 15.51 % when the female teacher
is compared to male teachers.
Table 3.5 levels of grades number of teacher and teacher student ratio in governmental schools in
Aweday town.
Level of grades Number of Teachers Teacher-student ratio
1-4 48 1:68
5-8 50 1:53
9-10 18 1:77
11-12 12 1:97

Source: Aweday town Bureau of Education, 2009

As indicated in the above table 3.6 the first cycle primary school there are 48 teachers and 1:68
teacher-student ratio. This means for each teacher there are 68 students per teachers. In the
second cycle primary from (5-8) there are 53 students per teachers and for the first cycle
secondary schools (9-10) there are 18 teachers and 77 students per teachers and in the second
cycle secondary schools there are 12 teachers and 97 students per teachers. Thus, the number of
teacher in the second cycle secondary school is very small so there is large number of students in
one class and with one teacher.
The second part of chapter three or data analysis and discussion and finding is focused on the
analysis based on the primary data which collected through questionnaire. It explores different
constraints under the headings problems that the institutions (schools faces), problems that the
teachers faces and constraints that affects students education. These constraints directly or
indirectly affect the proper functioning of the institutions and reduce the quality of education.
Below is the table that shows the major problems that high school faces. The questionnaire was
filled out by teacher and students from randomly selected high schools. This table shows
problems that the institutions face in general.

27
Table 3.6. The enrolment ratio of student in the kindergarten, first cycle primary and second cycle
primary in Aweday town, 2009
Schools Enrolment ratio
kindergarten 5.5 %
Grade (1-4) 28 %
Grade (5-8) 12 %
Total 45.5 %

Source: Aweday town Education Bureau, 2009

According to the above table 3.6 the enrolment ratio of kindergarten is smallest which are 5.5
percent and the enrolment ratio of first cycle primary school is the highest and it is 28 percent and
the second cycle primary school is only 12 percent as we concluded the enrolment ratio of
student in the kindergarten is the small one. This indicates that the enrolment ration of firs cycle
primary is the highest than the second cycle primary and nursery schools in the town and the
smallest in the enrolment ratio according to the above table 3.6 is kindergarten.

Table 3.7 Major problems that the institution (schools) faces (high schools faces)
Types of problems No. of respondent Percentage
1. shortage of textbooks and material 2 8%
2. Over crowded classes 6 24 %
3.Inadequate teaching aid 2 8%
4. Other like 2 8%
• Shortage of qualified teacher
• Low facilities
• Low facilities because of high
repetition rate
• Shortage of qualified staff
• Distance related problems
• Financial and budget

28
 problems
5. all of the above 8 32 %
Two of the above 4 16 %
Three of the above 1 4%
8. if any other suggestion (don’t know 0 0.00
policy
Total 25 100 %

Source: Questionnaire March, 2009

According to the above table the high school teachers and students were asked to identify the
major problems that the educational institution faces. Among the total respondents, 8 % indicated
that shortage of textbook and materials are the major problems. On the other hand, 24 % of the
respondents believe that over crowded classes are the major problems. Again another 8 % of the
respondents indicated that inadequate teaching aids are the main problems. Others about 8 %
teachers and student believe that financial or budget, shortage of qualified staff, low facilities,
shortage of qualified teachers, distance related problems, wastage of resources due to high
repetition rate are the major problems.
In addition to that, 32 % of the respondents indicated that all of the above mentioned
problems that the high school faces are the major problems. Some others 9.82 % of the
respondents believe that the first two of the above is the major problems and 16 % and 4% of the
respondents are believe three of the above and don’t know policy or not mentioned are the main
problems respectively.
Table 3.8 Major problems that the teacher faces in their respective high schools in Aweday town.
Types of problem No. of Percentage
respondents
1. Teaching over load 3 12 %
2. Over crowded classes 4 16
3. Low motivation by the students 3 12
4. All of the above and any other including 2 8
• Misbehavior of students
• Distance related problems
• Low teaching aid or
• Low teaching facilities

29
5. All of the above 7 28
6. Two of the 3 12
7. Three of the above 3 12
8. Others (don’t know the policy) 0 0.00
Total 25 100
Source: Own survey, 2009
The teachers of high schools were asked to identify the problems that they face in their high
schools. Accordingly, among those teachers who were asked, 12 % indicated that the key and
common problem is teaching overload. 16 % of the respondents believe that the problem is
overcrowded classes. And the 12 % of the respondents believe that major problem is low
motivation by the students, and 8 % of the respondents believe that all of the above and any other
including misbehavior of students, distance related problem, low teaching aid and low teaching
facilities are the main problem. In addition to that, 28 % of the respondents believe that the
common problem of teacher faces in high school is all of the above problems mentioned. 12 % of
the respondents believe that two of the above problems are the main one. And 12 percent of the
respondent believes that three of the above problems are the main problem.
Table 3.9 Major problems that the high school student faces in Aweday town
Types of problems No. of respondents Percentage
• Overcrowded classes 6 24 %
• Financial problems 3 12
• Economic and family related problem 2 8
Related problems 4 16
• All of the above like distance related
• Low motivation by teacher
• Learning over load
• Gender related problem
• Cultural influence
All of the above 8 32
First two of the above 1 4
First three of the above 1 4
Other (don’t know the policy) 0 0.00

Total 25 100 %

Source: Own survey, 2009

30
As indicated on the above table 3.9 the high school students were asked to identify the major
problems that the high school student faces. According to this 24 % of the respondents or
students believe that the major problems was overcrowded classes and 12 % of the respondents
financial problem is the major one that the high school students faces and 8% of the respondents
believe that economic and family related are the main problem. On the other hand, 16 %
respondents believe that all of the above like distance, low motivation by teachers, learning
overload, gender related problems and cultural influence are the main problems that high school
students faces. The other
32 % of the respondents believe that all of the above mentioned are the main problems and 4 %
of the respondents believed that the first three of the above are the main problems. And 4% of the
respondents believe that the first three of the above are the main problem.
Table 3.10 Major problems that faces female student in Aweday town high schools
Problem type Number of respondents Percentage
1. Gender disparity 6 24 %
2. Economic and family related 3 12 %
3. cultural constraints 2 8%
4. others like 4 16 %
 Distance related problems
 Boys dominancy in the class academic
performance
 Embarrassment on their way to schools
5. All of the above 4 16 %
6. Two of the above 3 12%
7. Three of the above 3 12%
8. Not known 0
Total 24 100%
Source: Questionnaire March, 2009
According to the above table 3.10, the respondents are asked the problems that faces female
student the high schools, according to their response 24 percent or 6 of the respondents believe
that the major problems that face females in high schools is gender disparity, 12 percent or 3 of
the respondent believe that the main problem is economic and family related, 8 percent of the
respondents says the major problem that face female in school is cultural constraints, 16 percent
of the respondents believe that the main problems are others like distance related problem, boys’
dominancy in the class academic performance and embarrassment on their way to schools.

31
Among the problems that face the problems that faces female student in Aweday schools the most
one is gender disparity.

Table 3.11 which shows comments of student on the school facilities in Aweday town
Facilities Excellent Very good Medium Low
Classroom 2 1 10 12
Library __ 2 3 20
Water supply 1 4 12 8
Other recreation __ 5 10 10
place, sports
Source: Questionnaire
As indicated the school facilities only 2 respondents believe that classroom is excellent and one
of the respondents very good and 10 of the respondents or student are believed that medium
classroom facilities and twelve of the students believe that classroom facilities is low. And none
of the respondents believe that library facilities are excellent and two of the respondents believe
library facilities are very good and three of the respondents are medium and twenty of the
respondents believe that library facilities are low. According to this table one of the respondents
believes that water supply facilities are excellent and four of the respondents is very good and
twelve of the respondents medium and eight of the respondents believe that low water supply
facilities. As shown other recreation places and sport facilities none of the respondents believe
excellent and five of the respondents very good and ten of the respondents medium and ten of the
respondents believe that low other recreation places and sports.
Table 3.12 the percentage of respondents on English language problems
Response Number of student percentage
Yes 20 80%
No 5 20%

Source: Questionnaire March, 2009

As indicated from the above table most of the respondents believe that English language is
the major problem. That means among total of 25 students 20 of the student says yes and only 5
of the student answers no in percentage 80 % of the respondents believe that English language is

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the main problems. And only 20 percent of the respondents believe that English language is not
the problems.

Table 3.13. Percentage and number of respondents on the toilet facilities problems in schools
Response No. of students Percentage
Yes 15 60%
No 10 40%

Source: survey march, 2009

From the above table there are 15 students’ answers yes among the total students of 25. The
60% of student who believes that toilet facilities are the major problems. Only 40% of the
respondent believes that toilet facilities are not the major problems. From this we can identify
that even the facilities of latrine is very poor

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 CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
4.1. CONCLUSION
In the analysis part, the study founded that identifying the various educational institutions in
Aweday town and attempted to identify the existing problems by identifying different indicators
like number of institutions, number of teachers, number of students, number of sections, student-
teacher ratio, student-section ratio. From this analysis the result is that there exist the shortage of
educational institution in Aweday town, even high schools are not say to be enough for the town
and there is no higher education in this town. Besides, there are high overcrowded classes;
moreover, the indicators show that there are high shortages of qualified teachers that teach high
school students. In addition to this, as education level increases, the proportion of number of
female students’ declines in school there is low enrolment of female students.
The second part of data analysis explores or identifying different factors which affect
education by collecting and asking different respondents about the problems by preparing
questionnaire this are
Major problems that the institute or school faces are the following:
• Shortage of textbooks and materials
• Overcrowded classes
• Inadequate teaching aids
• Shortage of qualified teachers
• Low facilities
• High repetition of students
• Shortage of qualified staff
• Distance related problems
Major problems that the teachers’ faces in the high school are or in schools are
• Teaching overload
• Overcrowded classes
• Low motivation of the students

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 • Misbehavior of the students
• Distance related problems
• Low teaching facilities
Major problems that the high school student faces are:
• Overcrowded classes
• Financial problems
• Economic and family problems
• Low motivation by teachers
• Learning overload
• Gender related problems
• Cultural influence
The other problem that faces schools are facilities like
• Low class room
• Low library facilities
• Low water supply
• Low recreation places, sports
• Low latrine facilities and so on.
4.2. Recommendation
The analysis part presents the problems that face schools (institutions), students, teachers and
female students in the school of the town. In order to reduce these problems government and non-
government or private individual must be engaged on the improvements of:
Schools or increase the number of institutions
Give affirmative action for the female student in order to solve the
problems of the female students in the schools.
According to the researcher recommended that problems of education in the town and all regions
in the country solved in the following given suggestions:
Since the number of existing educational institutions is very small in Aweday town, the
concerned body, i.e. government and NGOs organizations should play a great role.

35
 On the basis of the study the researcher recommended for future improvement of the
following:

• For student section ratio is very high, compared to the availability of the teachers. So, the
government should appoint teachers to regularize the school
• In some school there is shortage of teachers, so government must takes attention to these
problems in order to solve it.
• It is found that in Aweday town female education is very low or poor. So, government and
non-governmental organization are needed to motivate female in the town
• According to this study the main reason for low education in the town is poverty and
ignorance of the people. So, a government takes care about this and eradicates poverty
and ignorance of the people and education will improve in the future.
• There is poor infrastructure facilities in the town even latrine facilities in the study area
for education the government and other non-government should attempt to alleviate these
problem.

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 APPENDIX

Questionnaire
Nasir Ousman is currently graduating students of the year 2001 E.C (2009/10) from Arba Minch
University from department of economics. As a partial fulfillments for graduation I am
undertaking a study on problems and prospects of education in Aweday town I would like to
extend in advance heart felt thank to my respondents who avail valuable information toward
successful completion of this study by answering the questions on the questionnaire.
Put X in the box in front of the questionnaire if you agree with the questions asked and leaves it if
you do not agree with it.
1. Name of the school____________________________

2. Ownership of the school Government Private

3. Which of the following problems do you believe that the major problems that faces
institutions schools in your town? (Only school teachers and students answers)

A. shortage of textbooks and material

B. shortage of textbooks and material

C. Inadequate teaching aid

Other like

• Shortage of qualified teacher

• Low facilities
• Low facilities because of high repetition rate
• Shortage of qualified staff
• Distance related problems

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 • Financial and budget problems
4. Which of the following is the major problem that the teacher faces in their respective high
schools in Aweday town? (Only high school teachers answer )

A. Teaching over load

B. Over crowded classes

C. Low motivation by the students

D. all of the above and any of other including

 Misbehavior of students
 Distance related problems
 Low teaching aid or
 Low teaching facilities
E. all of the above
F. two of the above
G. Three of the above
H. Don not know policy
5. which of the following is the major problems that student faces in high schools in Aweday
town? (Only high school student answer the questions)
A. Overcrowded classes

B. Financial problems

C. Economic and family related problem

D. Related problems

• All of the above like distance related

• Low motivation by teacher
• Learning over load
• Gender related problem
• Cultural influence

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6. Which of the following is the major problem that faces female students in high schools? (Only
female student answers the questions)
A. Gender disparity
B. Economic and family related problem
C. Cultural constraints
D. Others like
• Distance related problems
• Boys dominancy in the class academic Performance
• Embarrassment on the way to schools
E. all of the above
F. two of the above
G. three of the above
H. not known
7. Give suggestion on the facilities of the following in your school?
Excellent very good medium low
Classroom
Library
Water supply
Other recreation and
Sports facilities
8. Is English language is the major problems that affect the performance of students in your
schools?
Yes No
9. Is your schools also have latrine facilities?
Yes No

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Befekadu, Berhanu and Getahun (2000/01), Ethiopian economic Association second annual
report on Ethiopian economy.

Debraj ray (1998), development economics, Princeton University.

Educational journal vol, 7 section in the governmental schools public relation services (MOE),
2003, Addis Ababa.

Academy for educational development/ BESO II and Ministry of Education, Addis Ababa. June,
2005
Economic Development 17th edition, Michael P. Todaro New York University,

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