Attempts at Educational Reform in Ethiopia: A Top-Down or a Bottom-Up Reform? Seyoum Tefera, Ethiopian Journal of Education, Vol. 16, No.1, 1996, pp. 1-37 Reviewed by The Ministry of Education

Abstract

The major purpose of this Paper is to further depict and convey the right picture and message of the new and operational "Education and Training Policy" to general readers. This Paper also attempts, through all possible means, to respond to some of the not well-~hought-out statements reflected on the ETHIOPIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION (December, 1996) under the title "Attempts at Educational Reform in Ethiopia: A Top-down or a Bottom-up Reform?" authored by Dr. Seyoum Tefera, an Associate Professor, at the Department of Educational Administration, Addis Ababa University. This Paper shall not, under any circumstances, attempt to foolhardly engage in re-incriminations. It reflects on the existing educational reality. On the basis of the evolutionary. development of the Ethiopian educational · system, the Paper also attempts to historically trace the tortuous path that the Ethiopian education system has traversed through in the da~k past. Finally, in drawing a conclusion, the Paper views the steps taken by the Ministry of Education of the FDRE to bring about a bottom-up democratic education reform,' as opposed to top-down.