U.S. donates 1.5 million textbooks to schools in Ethiopia

What Ethiopians want is not a handout from the U.S., but for the Bush Administration to stop supporting and financing the fascist tribal junta that is pillaging and plundering our country. Most of these books will not even reach the students.

(ENA) – As part of its ongoing commitment to support Ethiopia’s educational system, the American people donated today over one and half million English language textbooks to Ethiopia, the US Embassy in Addis anounced.

The donation is part of President George W. Bush’s Africa Education Initiative, which increases access to quality basic educational opportunities in Africa. The English language textbooks were developed specifically for Ethiopia and are for use in primary schools for grade 5 to 8.

Speaking at the handover ceremony held at Sefere Selam Primary School in Addis Ababa, Dr. Sarah Moten, President Bush’s Coordinator for the Africa Education Initiative said, “Education is the key to future economic growth and lasting democracy, and essential to improving the lives of Ethiopians.

“We are proud to be working in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Ethiopia’s schools to help this country’s children be better prepared for productive futures.”

Also attending the ceremony were Dr. Sintayehu Woldemichael, Minister, Ethiopian Ministry of Education, Dr. Thomas Corts, U.S. Coordinator of Basic Education, U.S. Ambassador Donald Yamamoto and Nancy Estes, USAID-Ethiopia Acting Deputy Mission Director.

Along with the Africa Education Initiative, U.S. support for quality education in Ethiopia includes scholarships that enable girls to complete secondary education, support for teacher training at the primary level, capacity building in planning and management and community empowerment for school governance.

With an emphasis on primary school completion, USAID has been supporting the Ministry of Education in eleven regions since 1995.

Overall, USAID has invested approximately 160 million USD in financial, technical and managerial resources to support its Basic Education Program, the embassy said