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The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with other institutions, is working to establish a Teachers' Bank, according to Minister Professor Birhanu Nega. 

To address the nationwide teacher shortage, the Ministry plans to have third-year university students teach for approximately one year. 

Professor Birhanu Nega made these remarks during a forum where a study on the reasons behind the poor performance in the Grade 12 national exams over recent years was presented for discussion. 

The study identified several factors contributing to the decline in results, including teachers' lack of capacity, the absence of a Grade 10 exam, inadequate educational inputs, and infrastructure deficiencies. 

The study was presented to the House of Peoples' Representatives' Standing Committee on Human Resources, Employment, and Technology Affairs, with participants including committee members and representatives from higher education institutions. 

During the discussion, Dr. Kefene Efa, a member of the House, commented on teacher allocation, stating that in Ethiopia, top-performing students are assigned to fields like medicine or engineering based on their final results, while others are directed to teaching. He questioned what could be expected from teachers selected this way. 

The low living standards of teachers were also cited as a reason for the decline in educational outcomes, with improvements in teachers' living conditions deemed necessary. 

Regarding this, Professor Birhanu Nega noted that efforts are underway to establish the Teachers' Bank, expressing hope that it will be operational by next year. He clarified that the initiative is not solely to address the teacher shortage but to link teachers with a financial system that allows them to build homes with low-interest loans. 

The Minister acknowledged a nationwide teacher shortage, citing a recent survey that identified a deficit of approximately 100,000 teachers. To address this, plans are in place—ideally for the current year, but if not, the next—for third-year university students to teach for about a year before graduation. 

Yared Endashaw