Addis Ababa, July 30, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education has announced that 8.9 million students are now benefiting from expanded school feeding services as part of ongoing efforts to improve access to education, enhance learning conditions and strengthen the quality of education nationwide.
The figure was disclosed during the Ministry’s performance review forum on the 2018 Ethiopian fiscal year achievements and its plans for the upcoming year.
The Ministry said education remains a critical pillar of Ethiopia’s development, emphasizing that sustained reforms are underway to improve the accessibility, quality and effectiveness of the education system.
Speaking during the forum, Education Minister Professor Birhanu Nega said education reflects the broader trajectory of a country’s development and requires sustained attention and investment. He noted that the government has undertaken key measures over the past five years to lay the foundation for improved education quality, including the construction and renovation of schools, expansion of learning facilities and strengthening of student support systems.
The Ministry highlighted that school feeding capacity has significantly expanded during this period, reaching 8.9 million students and supporting efforts aimed at improving attendance, retention and learning opportunities.
It also noted progress in expanding access to educational materials, including the one-to-one distribution of secondary school textbooks and support provided to regional administrations in producing and distributing textbooks for pre-primary and primary education.
The Ministry further highlighted efforts to establish special boarding schools across all regions, aimed at providing enhanced educational opportunities for students with strong academic potential.
In higher education, the Ministry said nine universities are currently undergoing a transition process toward greater autonomy, supported by a framework designed to enable institutions to strengthen teaching, research and community services based on their respective capacities and resources.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s efforts to modernize national examinations through digital platforms have continued to expand. The Ministry said internet-based Grade 12 national examinations, introduced in 2016, covered more than 62 percent of examinations this year.
The Ministry said preparations are underway to ensure that all Grade 12 students will take their final examinations digitally in the future, as part of efforts to improve transparency and curb examination malpractice.
The government says these reforms are part of a broader drive to build a more inclusive, quality-oriented and technology-enabled education system capable of supporting Ethiopia’s long-term development ambitions.