Africa-Press – Ethiopia. September 16, 2025 2 minutes read Addis Abeba – The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has reported that female students in schools are subjected to threats, intimidation, and sexual harassment, with perpetrators identified as both teachers and fellow students.
In its latest monitoring, the commission confirmed these violations, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions. It also noted that some schools impose punishments causing physical and psychological harm, while ongoing conflicts between armed groups and government forces have further endangered students in these regions.
The findings stem from EHRC’s monitoring of public and private schools in the Addis Abeba, Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, and Southern Ethiopia regions. The assessment examined “the conduciveness of schools for students and the state of student human rights protection.” On 2 September 2025, the Commission convened a consultation in Addis Abeba with stakeholders to present its findings and recommendations.
According to a statement released yesterday on EHRC’s social media page, the meeting was attended by officials and representatives from the Ministry of Education and regional bureaus of education, finance, and economy, as well as school principals.
Key challenges observed include overcrowded classrooms, absence of school clinics and first aid kits, and shortages of health professionals. The Commission further highlighted the lack of child protection and anti-discrimination policies in all monitored schools. It also identified the presence of khat, shisha, and pool houses near some schools, as well as the absence of a child-friendly grievance system, as serious human rights concerns negatively impacting learning.
The Commission urged stakeholders to ensure that children receive education in safe environments that respect their rights and well-being.
Selamawit Girmay, Director of the EHRC’s Women’s and Children’s Rights Division, said participants of the consultation acknowledged the government’s duty to protect children’s rights. She added that the Commission will continue strengthening its advocacy to guarantee “a comfortable and human rights-respecting educational process for children.”
Last week Addis Standard reports, citing state media, that the Ministry of Education has cautioned parents and guardians of legal repercussions for failing to send children to school, as Ethiopia prepares to open the 2025/2026 academic year on Monday with more than seven million children still out of school nationwide.
Dawit Azene, head of the Ministry’s Education Programs and System Improvement Desk, urged parents, guardians, communities, and stakeholders to ensure that children of school-going age attend classes. He stressed that primary education is free and compulsory under the education law, adding that failure to send children to school is punishable by law.
The ministry confirmed that the 2025/2026 academic year will commence on Monday, 15 September, while acknowledging that millions remain excluded from education. It recalled that during the 2024/2025 academic year, more than seven million children were unable to attend school due to insecurity, economic hardship, and child labor. For the new academic year, it has planned for 31.9 million students, including those previously out of school, to be enrolled.
A UNICEF report, however, indicated that more than nine million children in Ethiopia were out of school as a result of ongoing conflicts, displacement, and natural disasters. The highest numbers were recorded in the Amhara region with 4.4 million, Oromia with 3.2 million, and Tigray with 1.2 million children. The report further noted that over 6,000 schools were closed and more than 10,000 others damaged or destroyed, severely disrupting access to education.
With the highest number of students out of school, the Amhara region started a campaign last month to enroll 7.4 students for the academic year. Mulunesh Dessie (PhD), Coordinator of the Social Sector with the rank of Deputy Chief Administrator and Head of the Amhara Regional State Education Bureau, announced that the bureau is prepared to register 7,445,545.
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