Activities in Ethiopia

Teachers practicing student-centered methods of learning

The purpose of JICA's cooperation in Ethiopia's education sector is to improve the accessibility to secondary education and to strengthen the quality of education for all students in the country. By working with the federal government, JICA has undergone many projects in educational capacity building for both teachers and school directors. The Project for Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education in Ethiopia (SMASEE) started in 2011 with the objective to build the capacity of grade 7 & 8 mathematics and science teachers through a series of trainings. The goal is that once the teachers are trained they can implement more practical, proactive academic activities in the classroom that will improve the quality of education for all students. A unique aspect of the project includes using locally available resources for educational materials and experiments. The project works with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education and national educational trainers to change the educational system's paradigm from the typical "chalk and talk" approach to a more student-centered approach. The project is scheduled to end in 2014 and the goal is that by that time each teacher will be fully trained and equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct more interactive mathematics and science classes.