Eldana, a 6-year-old student in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, is part of the O-Class, a pre-primary educational program aimed at improving learning outcomes by better preparing students for primary school. The program employs a play-based curriculum and provides teacher training and learning materials. Before O-Class was introduced, primary education completion rates in Ethiopia were at 50%, partly due to irregular attendance and late enrollment.
The General Education Quality Improvement Program for Equity (GEQIP-E), launched in 2017, has made significant strides in enhancing internal efficiency, equitable access, and overall quality of education across Ethiopia’s public schools. It aims to strengthen the education sector from the bottom up. Initially introduced in 2010, the O-class now offers a two-year pre-primary program that prepares children for primary school challenges.
“[GEQIP-E was necessary because] the country’s education system urgently needed to rebuild its capacity,” said Hiroshi Saeki, former GEQIP-E Task Team Leader from the World Bank. By 2023, over 2.3 million children had benefited from the O-class program.
Kirill Vasiliev, previous GEQIP-E Task Team Leader, stated: “O-Class has great potential for impact at scale.” Despite challenges like COVID-19 and recent conflicts affecting school attendance, Ethiopia achieved an 88% transition rate to grade two as of 2022/23.
The O-Class approach necessitates modifying traditional methods of teaching young children. GEQIP-E provides training programs for teachers on how to teach preprimary children effectively. Eldana’s teacher Dagmawit Eshetu noted: “I have taken O class training...now we understand how to teach them...and bring out their interest in education.”
Ethiopia faces vast challenges in reforming its education system with over 27 million students enrolled. Many teachers do not pass licensing exams and face overcrowded classrooms and material shortages when they begin teaching. Zemen Ashenafi from Nigist Fura School identified insufficient training opportunities as a critical challenge.
GEQIP-E delivered comprehensive training programs for teachers and school leaders while focusing on developing digital skills among secondary school teachers through tablets and assessment tools. In total, 102,117 teachers have been trained under this initiative.
Teachers were also trained in Continuous Classroom Assessment (CCA), which allows them to continuously assess students’ progress daily. Bereket Arega explained: “CCA requires teachers to continuously evaluate the classroom...supporting them.”
Ethiopia's Education Statistics Annual Abstract reported low enrollment rates for children with special needs as well as female students facing accessibility issues due to inadequate facilities. Thanks to GEQIP-E's efforts since its inception:
- Over 72% of primary schools now support girls' enrollment through gender clubs.
- Gross enrollment rates for girls in historically disadvantaged regions increased significantly.
- Established Inclusive Education Resource Centers nationwide provided essential services to over 148,528 students with special needs.
Semira Kemal noted receiving various educational materials that aid her studies: "I’ve received different materials from the resource center."
Conflict remains a major cause of educational inequality affecting millions of children who are out of school due to natural or man-made disasters.
Abdul Hai Sofizada emphasized that “GEQIP-E has been evolving” to address emergency needs within the education sector over recent years while Ademe Zeyede Hailu highlighted its role in supporting recovery efforts across conflict-affected areas including constructing new classrooms accommodating approximately 22,500 students once completed.
In addressing refugee communities' educational needs—particularly amid increasing numbers due to Sudanese conflicts—the government prioritizes providing essential resources such as learning materials and teacher training programs benefiting both refugee primary/secondary schools alongside promoting self-directed learning among refugee girls via WASH facilities/sanitary pads provision among other initiatives.