Education and Culture:
Comparing Ethiopian and American Education
by Kristin Emrich
This semester I have had the privilege of having Mr. Gmariam as my
supervising teacher during my student teaching internship. Mr. G, as his students
call him, is a smart, focused teacher who challenges his students to care more about
their education. He also happens to be from Ethiopia.
Mr. G graduated from high school and applied to one of the few universities
in Ethiopia. Based on his entrance test scores he was accepted and obtained his
bachelor in mathematics. After moving to the United States, he went back to school
to get his masters and has since passed the teaching tests and has been teaching in
American public schools for 14 years. He has spent the last 6 years teaching high
school mathematics at Roanoke’s William Fleming High.
When asked about the high schools is Ethiopia, he says it is very different.
Looking at the government level we begin to see major differences between America
and Ethiopia. Here we have standardized testing to try to get all students at a
minimum level of understanding in accordance with the federal mandate, No Child
Left Behind and in return the government offers funding. Here children are required
to go to school. There is no choice and parents can end up in a courtroom if their
children are absent. In Ethiopia there is no government funding and therefore
school is very expensive. Many times parents struggle to afford an education for
their children. It is also a parental choice to send your child to school. Depending on
the economic status, parents will often sacrifice their child’s education because they
need additional income.
Taking a closer look at regions and supplies we begin to see that there are
even more inconsistencies. Since Ethiopia is a third world country it makes sense
that Internet access is scarce. We might even suspect that calculators, textbooks, and
basic office supplies are limited. The truth is that students don’t use calculators at
all. They have to share textbooks and are unable to take them home to study. There
are not nearly as many schools per mile as there are here in the states. If a child who
lives in the country is lucky enough to go to school, it is often a 3-4 hour commute to
class and with no provided transportation often the only option is for the child to
live in the city Sunday through Friday. This cost increases from not only school but it
also includes housing and care for the child as well as the loss of income since that
child isn’t working. Transportation is provided for students living in the city but for
a high price. Compared to the US where in every classroom students have books and
calculators for their personal use. Teachers have paper to make handouts and
lecture notes. Students have unlimited access to the Internet. Even if they don’t have
it at home we have public libraries with free access. In the Roanoke Valley alone we
have 8 high schools. There are bus services available and the cost of education is
very low.
From everything above, it would be very easy to think that the schools here
are much better and we are lucky to have such a great education system. While that
is true there are downfalls to our system and there are incredible benefits to the
education that is given in Ethiopia.
Consider the poor Ethiopian culture and the poor United States culture.
While the NCLB Act is designed to improve out program, one side effect is that not
all parents encourage their children to put in effort. Parents might prefer to have the
extra income or perhaps they simply don’t see the need and that attitude is passed
down to their children. On the other hand, sometimes students or parents feel that
an education is a right and lose appreciation for its true value. Often students don’t
care about putting in effort, working on homework or understanding the material.
They simply want to pass and get out so that they can get on with life. Ethiopian
students either want to be in school or have parents who forced them to go because
they realize the immense impact that an education can have in a person’s life.
Although calculators are an exceptional tool, they are often used in place of
grasping the concepts. American students are not only allowed to use calculators on
tests, they are encouraged to use them in class in place of doing work by hand and
taking notes. Many students have been given an assignment and know which
buttons to push on their calculator to get the right answer. However, given a piece of
paper and pencil or a different style calculator they are lost. In Ethiopia students are
not allowed to use a calculator in class or on tests. Although they might not have as
much experience with technology, they do end up understanding important
concepts and being able to problem solve. They remember material and actually
learn.
Perhaps the bigger issue though is that the culture in America does not
respect authority. Our culture says that whatever feels good for you is what you
should fight for and no one has the right to stand in your way or question your
decisions. That thinking goes against parenting, discipline, and living by any set of
rules. For children living in our culture, to respect authority and value wisdom is
abnormal. Ethiopian culture places high esteem on parents, elders, and authority
figures. What is said is expected to be followed whether it is from a parent, a
neighbor, or a teacher.
Regardless of our school system’s failing, we have the tools and ability to
successfully teach our students and help them achieve their goals. We are blessed to
have a government who cares about the future of all of our children. We have access
to technological resources that not only aid our general education but hold within
them job opportunities that are growing exponentially. Given the right
encouragement, a little self-motivation, and someone who cares, any child in the
United States of America has the opportunity to receive an education. That is an
invaluable accomplishment.