| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Haile Selassie I |
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| Selected Speeches |
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| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Chapter V |
| Selected Speeches |
We have, of recent years, heard much of the economic riches of our
continent and of the benefit to ourselves and to the world which will result
from their exploitation and development. We have here, however, another
potential source of wealth which must not be neglected -- the benefit
which will accrue to us and to the world if our children are granted the
tools of knowledge and are enabled to acquire the skill which may be
derived from education. These tools and these skills will help them as
individuals to realize their full intellectual, moral and cultural stature and
thus enable them as members of a society to contribute worthily to the
building of our human civilization. Man has been endowed with the innate
desire for and the ability to acquire wisdom and learning and it is the duty
of leaders to inspire and guide our peoples in this quest.
A study of the information collected by UNESCO indicates that although
the needs and the achievements of the African peoples have varied
according to the geographical, economic, historical and cultural
circumstances which are peculiar to each people and which have
conditioned the development of each country, yet there are many elements
which we share in common. It is in our interest to study and properly
understand the varying problems which exist in the different regions of
Africa and seek together to overcome them in a spirit of co-operation,
through mutual assistance as well as through the efforts and help of those
who are genuinely prepared to aid us in our endeavours.
As one example of the difficulties which have faced nations individually,
We need only cite the situation which confronted Us when, in 1941, We
returned to Ethiopia to find an educational system ravaged and destroyed
by the Fascist invasion of Our country in 1935. The educational progress
of Our people was severely and sadly retarded by the events of those
years. The youth of Our country who had received higher education prior
to 1935 were decimated during the years in which the Fascist invader
ravaged Our land, and there was little indeed in the way of trained human
resources or existing facilities at hand to aid Us in the enormous task
which confronted Us. But, convinced as We were that in the education of
our young rested the key to Ethiopia's future development, We determined
that this task would enjoy the highest priority in Our programme for
Ethiopia's progress.
We take humble pride in the accomplishments of the years since 1941, and
Our heart is filled with joy when We observe the fruits of Our efforts in
the youth of Our country who are succeeding in ever increasing numbers
to positions of responsibility in the life of Our nation. Hundreds of schools
have been built; hundreds of thousands of Our people have received the
benefit of education. Although Our country was unable to make free use
of the facilities for higher education in the metropolitan countries of
Europe which have influenced the development of schooling in certain
areas of Africa, We have nonetheless been able to carry out an extensive
programme of foreign training in many countries of the world, and We
appreciate the scholarships which have permitted your men and women to
study abroad. In addition, We have built up here a system of colleges
which, We are happy to say, We are already sharing with students from
Our sister countries. We believe that the existence of these colleges,
together with those parallel institutions which are increasingly appearing in
other parts of this great continent may ease the problem of preparing a
programme of education which is designed specifically to meet the needs
of Our African peoples.
continent and of the benefit to ourselves and to the world which will result
from their exploitation and development. We have here, however, another
potential source of wealth which must not be neglected -- the benefit
which will accrue to us and to the world if our children are granted the
tools of knowledge and are enabled to acquire the skill which may be
derived from education. These tools and these skills will help them as
individuals to realize their full intellectual, moral and cultural stature and
thus enable them as members of a society to contribute worthily to the
building of our human civilization. Man has been endowed with the innate
desire for and the ability to acquire wisdom and learning and it is the duty
of leaders to inspire and guide our peoples in this quest.
A study of the information collected by UNESCO indicates that although
the needs and the achievements of the African peoples have varied
according to the geographical, economic, historical and cultural
circumstances which are peculiar to each people and which have
conditioned the development of each country, yet there are many elements
which we share in common. It is in our interest to study and properly
understand the varying problems which exist in the different regions of
Africa and seek together to overcome them in a spirit of co-operation,
through mutual assistance as well as through the efforts and help of those
who are genuinely prepared to aid us in our endeavours.
As one example of the difficulties which have faced nations individually,
We need only cite the situation which confronted Us when, in 1941, We
returned to Ethiopia to find an educational system ravaged and destroyed
by the Fascist invasion of Our country in 1935. The educational progress
of Our people was severely and sadly retarded by the events of those
years. The youth of Our country who had received higher education prior
to 1935 were decimated during the years in which the Fascist invader
ravaged Our land, and there was little indeed in the way of trained human
resources or existing facilities at hand to aid Us in the enormous task
which confronted Us. But, convinced as We were that in the education of
our young rested the key to Ethiopia's future development, We determined
that this task would enjoy the highest priority in Our programme for
Ethiopia's progress.
We take humble pride in the accomplishments of the years since 1941, and
Our heart is filled with joy when We observe the fruits of Our efforts in
the youth of Our country who are succeeding in ever increasing numbers
to positions of responsibility in the life of Our nation. Hundreds of schools
have been built; hundreds of thousands of Our people have received the
benefit of education. Although Our country was unable to make free use
of the facilities for higher education in the metropolitan countries of
Europe which have influenced the development of schooling in certain
areas of Africa, We have nonetheless been able to carry out an extensive
programme of foreign training in many countries of the world, and We
appreciate the scholarships which have permitted your men and women to
study abroad. In addition, We have built up here a system of colleges
which, We are happy to say, We are already sharing with students from
Our sister countries. We believe that the existence of these colleges,
together with those parallel institutions which are increasingly appearing in
other parts of this great continent may ease the problem of preparing a
programme of education which is designed specifically to meet the needs
of Our African peoples.
| Sharing |
| United Nations International |
| Haile Selassie the First - Februay 17, 1960 |
| U.N.E.S.C.O. and Education Feb. 17, 1960 |
| ... Man has been endowed with the innate desire for and the ability to acquire wisdom and learning and it is the duty of leaders to inspire and guide our peoples in this quest .... |
It is with the deepest pleasure that We welcome the delegates, observers
and officials who have come to Our capital city of Addis Ababa in order to
participate in this conference of Ministers and Directors of Education from
countries in East and West Africa. The welcome which We extend to you
is not only given on Our behalf but on behalf of all of Our people, and We
trust that you will fully enjoy, during your stay here, the hospitality of Our
country.
The conference which We are now inaugurating, the first of its kind to be
convened for this area of the world, is of the greatest significance. The
discussions which will be held here are directly concerned with the
educational needs and aspirations of the 127 million people whose
represenatives have gathered together. It is important, and it augurs well
for the success of this conference, that it is sponsored by the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, pursuant to
decisions taken at the tenth conference of UNESCO, held in Paris towards
the close of 1958. All of us are indebted to UNESCO for the services
which that organization has performed on our behalf.
You have before you for consideration a report, carefully prepared by the
UNESCO SECRETARIAT, dealing with the educational needs of tropical
African countries. From this report, it is possible to gauge something of
the greatness of the task with which the educators of the African peoples
represented here are now confronted. This is not, of course, a matter
which concerns only educators; the enormity of the task of improving the
educational level of the African peoples is and must be of particular
concern to those who have been called to the highest positions of
leadership. They bear the grave responsibility of ensuring that the youth
of their countries combine the highest moral values with the noble patriotic
sentiments in serving their country.
The total population represented at this conference is estimated at some
127 million souls. Much has been done to provide schooling for the many
million children of schoolage, not all of which is fully indicated in the
report. But when every allowance has been made for the educational
opportunities which exist outside the regular governmental school system
-- and We would refer specifically to the traditional and widespread efforts
of the Ethiopian Church in Our land -- the fact remains that according to
the figures secured by UNESCO there are as yet no places in primary
school for millions of boys and girls. To provide for these children, more
than 345,000 teachers must be recruited and at least the same number of
classrooms must be built. And the financing for these extensions of
educational opportunity must come, in large measure, from budgets which
are already fully extended to meet their country's needs.
and officials who have come to Our capital city of Addis Ababa in order to
participate in this conference of Ministers and Directors of Education from
countries in East and West Africa. The welcome which We extend to you
is not only given on Our behalf but on behalf of all of Our people, and We
trust that you will fully enjoy, during your stay here, the hospitality of Our
country.
The conference which We are now inaugurating, the first of its kind to be
convened for this area of the world, is of the greatest significance. The
discussions which will be held here are directly concerned with the
educational needs and aspirations of the 127 million people whose
represenatives have gathered together. It is important, and it augurs well
for the success of this conference, that it is sponsored by the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, pursuant to
decisions taken at the tenth conference of UNESCO, held in Paris towards
the close of 1958. All of us are indebted to UNESCO for the services
which that organization has performed on our behalf.
You have before you for consideration a report, carefully prepared by the
UNESCO SECRETARIAT, dealing with the educational needs of tropical
African countries. From this report, it is possible to gauge something of
the greatness of the task with which the educators of the African peoples
represented here are now confronted. This is not, of course, a matter
which concerns only educators; the enormity of the task of improving the
educational level of the African peoples is and must be of particular
concern to those who have been called to the highest positions of
leadership. They bear the grave responsibility of ensuring that the youth
of their countries combine the highest moral values with the noble patriotic
sentiments in serving their country.
The total population represented at this conference is estimated at some
127 million souls. Much has been done to provide schooling for the many
million children of schoolage, not all of which is fully indicated in the
report. But when every allowance has been made for the educational
opportunities which exist outside the regular governmental school system
-- and We would refer specifically to the traditional and widespread efforts
of the Ethiopian Church in Our land -- the fact remains that according to
the figures secured by UNESCO there are as yet no places in primary
school for millions of boys and girls. To provide for these children, more
than 345,000 teachers must be recruited and at least the same number of
classrooms must be built. And the financing for these extensions of
educational opportunity must come, in large measure, from budgets which
are already fully extended to meet their country's needs.
| Human Potential |
| Strength in Diversity |
All African people, not only those represented here, have had varying
experiences and encountered varying difficulties and trials in the search for
education. But the very fact that our experience has not been uniform can
now become a source of strength to us as we undertake the planning of a
common approach to the education of our children. Each of us has
something to contribute. In the field of teacher training, for example, it is
possible that a common approach may be devised, especially for the
preparation of staff to serve in the higher levels of our schools and for the
imparting of those technical skills which are so essential for our
developing economies. In this connection, We would refer to the
departments of our Ethiopian colleges, to the University College of Addis
Ababa, with its faculties and sections concerned with Liberal Arts,
Education, Law and Science; to the College of Engineering; the College of
Agricultural and Mechanical Arts; the Public Health College; the Institute
of Building Technology; the Institute of Public Administration and the
Mapping and Geography Institute -- all these may well play their part both
in the development of African higher education and also in the
implementation of plans for universal primary schooling which may be
drafted as a result of this present conference.
The agenda which has been prepared for your meetings covers a very
wide area. The facts which have been gathered and the statistics which
have been compiled indicate something of the magnitude of the task with
which we are faced, but from them we may also derive some satisfaction
and some encouragement in the knowledge of what has been achieved,
often against great odds, in the initial foundation of our educational
systems.
By working together as neighbours, by making use of the resources which
can be brought to bear through programmes of national development, of
mutual help and of international assistance, we may face the future with
confidence, secure in the knowledge that we can render a good account
for our days and for our labours.
It is not sufficient to pay only lip service to the cause of our co-operation
and unity. We must devise means of effective co-operation which will
enable us to mobilize our resources and strengthen the basis for the limited
industries which we possess and thereby ensure our progress and,
ultimately, attain well-being and self-sufficiency for all. Without
education, we cannot hope to possess the technicians and experts essential
to the development of our economies or the doctors and nurses who will
safeguard the health of our people, nor can we achieve the other
conditions upon which our security and prosperity depend.
We shall follow with the greatest interest the deliberations of this
conference, and We pray that we may enjoy the guidance and the blessing
of the Almighty as we apply Ourselves to the tasks that now confront Us.
experiences and encountered varying difficulties and trials in the search for
education. But the very fact that our experience has not been uniform can
now become a source of strength to us as we undertake the planning of a
common approach to the education of our children. Each of us has
something to contribute. In the field of teacher training, for example, it is
possible that a common approach may be devised, especially for the
preparation of staff to serve in the higher levels of our schools and for the
imparting of those technical skills which are so essential for our
developing economies. In this connection, We would refer to the
departments of our Ethiopian colleges, to the University College of Addis
Ababa, with its faculties and sections concerned with Liberal Arts,
Education, Law and Science; to the College of Engineering; the College of
Agricultural and Mechanical Arts; the Public Health College; the Institute
of Building Technology; the Institute of Public Administration and the
Mapping and Geography Institute -- all these may well play their part both
in the development of African higher education and also in the
implementation of plans for universal primary schooling which may be
drafted as a result of this present conference.
The agenda which has been prepared for your meetings covers a very
wide area. The facts which have been gathered and the statistics which
have been compiled indicate something of the magnitude of the task with
which we are faced, but from them we may also derive some satisfaction
and some encouragement in the knowledge of what has been achieved,
often against great odds, in the initial foundation of our educational
systems.
By working together as neighbours, by making use of the resources which
can be brought to bear through programmes of national development, of
mutual help and of international assistance, we may face the future with
confidence, secure in the knowledge that we can render a good account
for our days and for our labours.
It is not sufficient to pay only lip service to the cause of our co-operation
and unity. We must devise means of effective co-operation which will
enable us to mobilize our resources and strengthen the basis for the limited
industries which we possess and thereby ensure our progress and,
ultimately, attain well-being and self-sufficiency for all. Without
education, we cannot hope to possess the technicians and experts essential
to the development of our economies or the doctors and nurses who will
safeguard the health of our people, nor can we achieve the other
conditions upon which our security and prosperity depend.
We shall follow with the greatest interest the deliberations of this
conference, and We pray that we may enjoy the guidance and the blessing
of the Almighty as we apply Ourselves to the tasks that now confront Us.
Our efforts have not been directed solely to the educational advancement
of Ethiopians; We have, as well, not been unmindful that all of us must
share in the responsibility for the education of all of our African brothers.
We had this firmly in mind when We awarded 200 scholarships, a
number, We would add, which was limited only by the budgetary
resources at Our disposal. We intend to continue Our efforts to extend all
possible assistance in this field. Surely, if we all resolved jointly to bend
our unsparing efforts to the achievements of universal education on this
great continent, we would in a few short years see results going far
beyond what each of us, acting alone, could attain.
Much has been done, but much more remains to be accomplished. Even
today, We reserve to Our Person the portfolio of Minister of Education,
and We shall never cease to devote Our efforts and energies to the tasks
and problems involved in the education of Our people. We are confident
that great things will be accomplished during this conference. We know
that you, too, share Our preoccupation with the educational needs of
peoples everywhere. We know that you share with Us the firm conviction
that as man's soul and his ability to reason and to learn constitute the
distinctive marks of humanity, so the gifts of education and the
development of man's intellectual capacity can create differences among
men. We know that the learning of the ages and the teachings of wise
men who have lived throughout the history of the world must no longer be
denied to large numbers of the population of the earth. We know that
man's physical needs and his intellectual and spiritual strivings can only be
satisfied through the medium of education. It is not unimportant to
observe the direct relationship that exists between the standard of living of
peoples in various parts of the world and the educational level which they
have attained.
of Ethiopians; We have, as well, not been unmindful that all of us must
share in the responsibility for the education of all of our African brothers.
We had this firmly in mind when We awarded 200 scholarships, a
number, We would add, which was limited only by the budgetary
resources at Our disposal. We intend to continue Our efforts to extend all
possible assistance in this field. Surely, if we all resolved jointly to bend
our unsparing efforts to the achievements of universal education on this
great continent, we would in a few short years see results going far
beyond what each of us, acting alone, could attain.
Much has been done, but much more remains to be accomplished. Even
today, We reserve to Our Person the portfolio of Minister of Education,
and We shall never cease to devote Our efforts and energies to the tasks
and problems involved in the education of Our people. We are confident
that great things will be accomplished during this conference. We know
that you, too, share Our preoccupation with the educational needs of
peoples everywhere. We know that you share with Us the firm conviction
that as man's soul and his ability to reason and to learn constitute the
distinctive marks of humanity, so the gifts of education and the
development of man's intellectual capacity can create differences among
men. We know that the learning of the ages and the teachings of wise
men who have lived throughout the history of the world must no longer be
denied to large numbers of the population of the earth. We know that
man's physical needs and his intellectual and spiritual strivings can only be
satisfied through the medium of education. It is not unimportant to
observe the direct relationship that exists between the standard of living of
peoples in various parts of the world and the educational level which they
have attained.