By our staff reporter
Since 2017, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has made a substantial investment of $55 million in Ethiopia. An additional $5 million investment is currently in the final stages of approval to enhance the education response to the prevailing drought conditions.
In collaboration with strategic partners, ECW’s investments have already impacted 276,000 crisis-affected girls and boys, providing them with access to safe and quality education.
Despite these efforts, significant challenges persist in Ethiopia’s education landscape. A staggering 3.6 million children remain out of school. The combined impact of conflict and the climate crisis has resulted in the partial or severe damage of over 8,700 schools across the country.
Compounded by ongoing crises and the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, learning outcomes have witnessed a decline. Notably, the proficiency of second-grade Ethiopian students in reading has dwindled from 25% in 2018 to a concerning 13% in 2021.
The recent drought has further exacerbated the situation, disrupting the education of 1.6 million girls, with close to 940,000 forced out of the learning environment.
Among the most vulnerable are girls, particularly teenagers, children with disabilities, and those who have been displaced. These groups face heightened risks and barriers to accessing education, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions to address these challenges and ensure inclusive and equitable education for all Ethiopian children.
