Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from DW Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
DW Amharic – Impacts of war on students and the education system
Lidet Abebe
February 7, 2025 (Tir 30, 2017 EC)
It is clear that war has a significant impact on the education system and the quality of education services. To better understand the level of impact one can examine the current situation in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. This report focuses on the various impacts of war on students and the education system.
Experts say “war not only destroys schools but also the fate of future generations.” Hello, dear followers of the World Youth Program; It has been reported that educational institutions have been severely damaged as a result of past and ongoing wars in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. During the 2024 (2017 EC) education year, only 2.3 million out of the 7 million students who were enrolled in schools were able to attend schools. Not only this, over 86% of schools in the region have been said to be below standards. A significant number of schools have been destroyed which has led to a number of students being taught on rocks with the sun and the rain pouring down on them. Educational tools such as books have become inaccessible.
“The war has caused damages to the education system which will continue to be seen over the next 20 and 30 years”
Over the past 33 years Tsegaye Moreda has served as a teacher in Oromia Region. At this time, he is completing his PhD studies in History at Gonder University while serving as a history lecturer at Madda Walabu University in Bale Robae. Memhir Tsegaye has not been able to travel throughout Amhara Region to survey the status of education due to the security problem however, he says he has no doubt that war has always worsened the country’s problems.
“I know Ethiopia very well having taught from 1st to 12th grades. They are students who would learn sitting on stones. They learned on the dusty ground covered in dust. There are schools where vultures fly overtop. And war has worsened this situation. The war is impacting the education system in ways that will be seen for the next 20 and 30 years.”
Memhir Tsegaye says “ever since I was a child, I have seen the impact of conflict or war on the education system” adding he can predict the situation in areas affected by war. “When I was a child there was war in Bale zone, and for this reason I understand the cruelty of war and the kind of impact it can have on the education system. Now war in Tigray, in Gonder in Amhara Region is not so different. War directly or indirectly disrupts the quality of education. When we say direct impact, schools can suffer destruction from war. At times not only are people displaced but armed belligerents use schools as rest stops or as camps. Schools can be part of war. Another matter is the fear which gripped me as a child during war in Bale had long lasting psychological impacts. Therefore, students can disrupt their schooling.”
Psychological Impact
“War has many impacts” says Ato Getahun Tibebu, a psychology expert and professor in Addis Ababa University’s Department of Psychiatry, adding that war can have psychological impacts in two ways, in the short term and in longer lasting mental illness. “When we focus just on psychology, war can result in mental problems in various ways. There can be depressive types of illness, anxiety or panic-based illness and if there are particularly severe circumstances such anxiety can follow afterwards. Mental problems which transpire may return and prevent them from carrying out daily activities.” Schools are often said to preserve language, history and culture. Memhir Tsegaye agrees with this statement. “For children schools are a place where they can develop their sense of identity for tomorrow. I agree that schools are a place where national culture, languages and they decide their identities for tomorrow.”
Can you as a student of history explain to us what impacts years of war in an area and longstanding interruption of schooling can have on a society? “Let alone a one- and two-year disruption of school, even three months can cause problems. It can delay the period over which a student finishes college and begins working. In Ethiopia school was disrupted during the 2012 EC year due to COVID. That had caused a major problem and was resolved after a 5-year period. Due to war, it was disrupted for two years but it was not just disrupted. The students would forget what they had learned....”
Destruction of schools in Ethiopia
In relation to psychological impacts of war, one proposed solution is providing psychological support within schools. Psychology expert Ato Getahun advises that this kind of support is provided in schools in areas without war. “During times of war it is very difficult to do these things. Therefore, under these kinds of circumstances, it is possible to send psychological medical support to the area to provide psychological support. Secondly for people with more severe illness it would be good to send them to these people so they can receive medical care.”
Ato Getahun also told me there is hope in relation to medicine. “As an expert what I have observed and what many studies demonstrate in areas affected by war is that not everyone will be significantly affected by the problem. After a certain period when things return to normal, most people’s psychology will return to normal.”
Lidet Abebe
Negash Mehamed
Comments