The Ancient Greeks imagined it to be the abode of the gods; scholars of the Middle Ages called it the land of Prester John; the prophent Mohammed urged the faithful to seek refuge from religious persecution among the hospitible people of Abyssinia. One of the oldest independent nations-states in the word, Ethiopia is little known or understood by the outside world even today. In this book, a native scholar and educator examines one area of Ethiopian history—educational change. Working from first-hand sources, personal experiences, and archival documents, Professor Wagaw analyzes the development of education in Ethiopia from an ancient, rigid, church-controlled system to the modern public school system, a product of changing times and public demand. This is an invaluable source for those interested in Ethiopian culture and education, those engaged in research in comparative education, and those interested in the process of African and Third World modernization.

Teshome G. Wagaw is professor of education at the University of Michigan in the School of Education and the Center for Afro-american and African Studies in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Educated in Ethiopia, Australia, and the United States, Professor Wagaw is the recipient of a number of honors including the German Academic Exchange Award (1969); the Addis Ababa University and USAID grant for the research and publication of works in Ethiopian education (1970-74); the Ford Foundation grant for a study tour of African system of higher education (1969); and the American Council on Education international travel grant (1974). He has traveled extensively throughout Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East, and has served as a consultant to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on the development and utilization of high-level manpower in Africa.