‘My husband can go to work and I will go to my school’: exploring changing patterns in adolescents’ access to education and learning in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has seen remarkable progress over the last decade in terms of adolescents’ access to education. The Ministry of Education reports that on a national basis, nearly three-quarters of children now complete 8th grade and just over half transition to secondary school. Despite progress, however, significant challenges and inequities remain. Enrolment rates in some regions remain extremely low, improvements in access have not been mirrored by improvements in quality, and progress towards gender parity has not only slowed – but reversed, as enrolment for boys has increased more quickly in recent years than for girls. 

This report synthesises findings from the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) programme’s midline data collection (in late 2019/early 2020) to explore changes in Ethiopian adolescents’ (aged 12–19) education and learning. Paying careful attention to similarities and differences between groups of adolescents, we explore educational aspirations, access to formal education, support from caregivers and educators (including for transition to secondary and post-secondary education) and learning outcomes.