Addis Ababa, September 16, 2026 (FMC) — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on students across Ethiopia to approach the new academic year with curiosity, pursue excellence and develop the skills needed to shape the country’s future, describing the younger generation as Ethiopia’s greatest wealth.
In a message marking the nationwide opening of the 2019 Ethiopian academic year, the Prime Minister placed students at the center of a responsibility extending beyond the classroom, urging them to become custodians of the future and carry forward Ethiopia’s proud legacy of civilization.
“Our young generation is Ethiopia’s greatest wealth,” Abiy said, wishing students across the country a successful academic year.
He encouraged students to “learn with curiosity, pursue excellence, and build the skills to shape the Ethiopia of tomorrow,” linking their education today with the country’s future across generations.
“What we build today is for generations to come,” the Prime Minister said, underscoring the longer horizon he attached to the new academic year.
His message came as schools officially reopened nationwide on September 15, with the Ministry of Education expecting more than 30 million students to attend classes during the 2019 academic year.
The Ministry said preparations had enabled at least 20 million students to begin their studies on the opening day, while efforts are continuing to address gaps at schools that have yet to fully resume instruction.
Abiy also highlighted the role of teachers in this generational undertaking, thanking them for inspiring and shaping the young people who will build Ethiopia’s future and extending his wishes for a successful year to the wider education sector.
The Prime Minister’s message thus placed the opening of the academic year within a longer generational frame: classrooms as places where curiosity is cultivated, excellence pursued and practical skills developed, while young Ethiopians prepare to carry forward a civilizational legacy and shape what comes next.
The scale of the academic year reinforces that emphasis. With more than 30 million students expected to participate in education across the country, the knowledge, skills and values developed during the year will form part of the foundation on which a new generation builds its future.