Address on International Education Year ,October 9, 1970
``The United Nations General Assembly, it will be recalled, designated, in a
resolution, 1970 as International Education Year. This decision was taken
primarily in recognition of the urgent global need to formulate new educational
systems and methods in educational administration and guidance. Member states of
the United Nations Organization are in the process of implementing this
resolution in co-operation with UNESCO. In addition, UNESCO member states and
other interested organizations are systems and administration, to increase
budgetary allocations for universal education and to strengthen international
co-operation in the field of education so that the goals outlined in the
International Education Year can be realized.
The acute problems related to education are manifested in the fact that today
two-thirds of the population of the world are denied educational opportunities
while the present educational systems are being questioned and criticized. These
immense educational problems cannot be solved overnight but need continued study
and appraisal, and in this regard the United Nations Organization deserves
credit for focusing world attention on educational problems.
Despite the enormity of the problems, the ever increasing quest for education is
a trend which we all welcome. In particular, the developing countries, such as
Ethiopia, have and are continuing, to give priority to education and educational
facilities and to allocate a high proportion of their revenue to education in
order to speed up the development process. To cite a specific example in this
connection, world-wide study on student population shows a marked increase in
the number of African students, particularly in the secondary and higher
learning institutions, a result which should be a source of pride. In Africa,
too, there is close co-operation and collaboration in the field of education.
these results cannot be considered as final, rather they should be taken as
stepping stones and as a driving force to improve and strengthen educational
systems and administration.
National UNESCO Commission
It will be recalled that we ordered the establishment of the National
Educational Commission of Ethiopia in June, 1968, long before the U.N.
resolution on the International Educational Year was passed. The directives of
the commission were to formulate and define the objectives of education in
Ethiopia, methods to expand education and educational facilities in the country
to speed up the development process and the integration of education in social
live. The spirit of these directives is similar to those of the U.N. resolution
on education. In addition, a special commission has been set up to co-ordinate
the implementation so this important resolution on International Education Year.
the special commission and the office of the National UNESCO Commission will
conduct appropriate programmes such as public discussion on education and
related subjects, and special stamps will be issued marking the International
Education Year as well as following closely what is being done in other
countries in this connection.
While speaking today about the spirit and aspiration of the International
Education Year. It is appropriate to mention here the Annual International
Literacy Day which was observed, for the fourth time, on September 8, 1970
throughout the world.
In 1967, the government of Iran founded the Mohammed Raza Pahlevi Prize, given
through UNESCO, to honor and encourage countries, individuals and organizations
which had significantly contributed in the campaign to eliminate illiteracy. We
have spoken on the merits of that prize, the inspiring example of which has been
followed by the government of the Soviet Union in its Nadezhda Krupskaya Prize,
also given through UNESCO, for which it deserves credit, In 1967, 1968, and
1970, organizations in Ethiopia were awarded medals and certificates, and won
honorable mention from the Pahlevi Foundation for their effective campaigns
against illiteracy. The adult literacy campaign launched in Ethiopia under the
supervision of the ministry of Education and Fine Arts and through the
collaboration and assistance of government and private organization is
conducting satisfactory educational programmes. The results achieved from year
to year and particularly in the last year have been encouraging and augur well
for the future.
We have always encouraged and impressed upon our people the importance of
education, and today, while speaking on the International Education Year and on
the international Literacy Day which was observed on September 8th, We wish to
reiterate our conviction that education is a collective responsibility affecting
every Ethiopian family.
The objectives of the International Education Year are to modernize and improve
educational systems and administration for the need of the times, to produce the
necessary manpower for national development and to formulate new educational
means and ways to strengthen international co-operation and to safeguard
mankind. On this occasion, We urge Our people to strive collectively to achieve
these objectives through the expansion of education and educational facilities.
``