Assessing the genesis, development and challenges of modern education in Ethiopia (1905–1941): a historical perspective

Ethiopia’s modern education transitioned from traditional religious systems to modern during Emperor Menilek II’s reign. A significant historical overview of modern education in the country was laid from 1905 to 1941; however, scholars made a passive remark to study the historical development of education in the period. Therefore, this study purposely assessed the period’s early missionary, government‑sponsored, and Italian‑run modern schools. To conduct this study, the researcher collected primary and secondary sources. The sources were then arranged, presented, and carefully examined. Finally, a qualitative research method of a descriptive research design was principally employed to analyze the data. The analysis revealed that Ethiopia’s education development has faced many challenges from the beginning to 1941. Despite efforts from rulers and intellectuals, Ethiopia’s education faced challenges such as church resistance and the fascist massacre of educated Ethiopians in 1937, which resulted in the loss of educated preference. Education remained deficient in quantity and inappropriate in quality. In conclusion, numerous challenges significantly hampered the development of modern education in Ethiopia before 1941, leaving a lasting impact. Thus, education did not bring modernity to Ethiopia as expected. Therefore, understanding these challenges is crucial for informing contemporary educational policies and practices in Ethiopia.