“How soon can you be here?”

“How soon can you be here?”

asks the ‘veteran’ American English teacher. The urgency of his question surprises me after the extensive employment screening processes I had been accustomed to  in the more developed expat teaching markets of Dubai and South Korea. “I guess I could be there next week,” I replied imagining the limited time for preparation to begin a one-year teaching contract in Addis Ababa, a place I knew little about and for a  position I had no experience of .  “Good, email me your flight info and we will pick you up at Bole Airport.”

And so I scrambled to pack for what promised to be an adventure teaching English at one of the capital’s  new private schools. Sitting in the plane traversing the Atlantic Ocean I wondered why this position, promising a top-notch salary and accommodation, was so easy to land for a fresh college graduate with none of the TOEFL certificates demanded by other institutions. Upon landing and being whisked off to a furnished apartment that had been rented for me I blew off the reservations and decided I had just been lucky.

The next day, arriving at the school  in an area called Tor Hayloch (Armed Forces), I begin to understand why I was  needed. Expecting to begin an orientation on teaching methods and curriculum, I was instead introduced to some of my future students’ parents as “the new American”. This was because  I was replacing the previous  teacher from the US. But the tone struck me as a thinly veiled marketing campaign from a school owner with a background in construction, not education.

Within a month my picture had already been in a local Amharic newspaper reporting on a small school event. And discussions with the owner often centered not on teaching methods, but on the year-old schools’ plans for expansion.  It struck me: private education is big business in this booming city and white teachers had become the logo. This is not to paint a  bleak picture of the expat teaching phenomenon. New private schools are filling a huge gap in  education. Addis’ population boom, a growing economy and heightened awareness of the importance of education have exhausted the capacity of existing schools. Very few can afford the  high  fees of the International Community School  ($ 20,900 per annum) and learning English from a native speaker can be invaluable.  

But there is a long way to go for schools to utilize their expat teacher programs to get the most bang for the buck. Most of the huge community of young expat teachers that work the circuit of multi-branch schools like Gibson Youth Academy and School of Tomorrow seem to view the post as a side job. The high turnover ratios and lack of qualifications speak to the symbolic nature of the job; a face and a voice will suffice in many cases.

Some of the deficiencies speak to deeper problems specifically in the primary education sector and modernization in general. The principal at my school was little more than a mouthpiece for the authoritarian owner whose oversight of construction workers had rubbed off on methods to handle  teachers. A top-down administrative approach obscured the countless suggestions for education improvement from  experienced staff.

Many of the Habasha teachers are truly dedicated to their jobs and sincerely love the children. But the ranks are swelled with young  English language graduates with few job prospects who hope for something better while doing the minimal work to please their superiors. The profession needs an image reform to put it in line with the respectable and important function it serves .

But when getting through a curriculum (whose selection has questionable origins) takes precedent instead of a focus on genuine understanding and learning, change will be slow. The pervasive mentality of memorization and regurgitation of facts is a problem that goes beyond the materials expats are expected to teach but one whose solution will come about by using their energies and experience with a little more gusto.

Comments (2)

when will people wake up!
written by qaal , January 31, 2010

Horizon, much thanks for bringing this issue to light!
A couple of years back, a qulified teacher resettling back in Addis told a story of a certain private school, which practicaly confirmed her a job over a phone interview. Howaver upon meeting her in person and finding out that she was abesha and not the expected ferngi as her name and her clipped British accent suggested, the vacant post all of a sudden seemed to vanish with the lamest of excuses!
It may be difficult to change the fee paying parents attitudes of 'white=right' overnight, but untill then the authorities could at least legistlate that whom ever takes a teaching post has the necessary qulifications.

disappointing
written by 1Love , February 12, 2010

I think Ethiopian teachers are more capable of teaching english to Ethiopian students. I think it would be easier for the teachers to translate local languages to english and also since they know the culture it would be easier for them to give examples to the students they can understand. Most western teachers will be seeking adventure and are not as dedicated as the locals who will most of the time be perminent resident of the city. I think the position should require understanding of the local language and culture! This fernj is better in english is pure garbage coming from ignorant people with limited education who don't realize there are other Africans who speak english as a first language. Also economically it would be wise to get an Ethiopian or some one from neighboring country with good educaiton to teach rather than bring a fernj just to satisfy fernj worshiping idiots.