Primary and Secondary Schools – Addis Ababa Diocese

The Addis Ababa diocese has been established it’s school at different levels of monasteries and churches from kindergarten to college and universities that have been providing spiritual and secular wisdom to students and also what we call secular wisdom is according to our forefathers, preparing writing ink, scraping the traditional writing pad “Brana”, carving writing pen, writing books, binding, farming, trading and the like. According to the modern day saying, it has established scholastic schools/opening school supported with modern technology up to the level of universities i.e. accordingly addis abab diocese has the following major schools;

Menbere tsebahot Holy Trinity Cathedral primary and secondary modern school.
Debre-Hail saint Raguel primary and secondary modern school.
Meskaye hizunan Medhanialem primary and secondary modern school.
Mahedere Sibhat saint Lideta health science University College.
Menbere Mengest saint Gabriel monastery school.
Debre Mewie saint Michael cathedral schools.etc

1. Holy Trinity Cathedral School

Holy Trinity Cathedral School has launched its educational service on the year September 24, 1962, which had primarily accepted only 8 students that were nuns and deacons. In 1963 it has started its educational service by having 39 students in classes ranging from first to fourth grade. At that time, it was known as “Ethiopian Orthodox Apostolic Organizations” Holy trinity cathedral school.The school was opened for the ultimate objective of rendering modern education to the church servants which objective was teaching modern education to clergy and hence the nuns and deacons was able to attend modern education with a lot of effort of the cathedral’s supreme leaders who at the time strictly following up the course of education and in this study servants of the church were admitted and attended.

Previously what was established at cathedral school to render the service for the clergy, monks and deacons enabled to address the service for the other sections of the community. One of the objective of the church is to render service for the community and also destitute sections of the community requesting educational provision to their children without any payment have been made avail themselves of the opportunity which ranges from the local shoe polishers and magazine and newspaper venders in the area.The school has got immediate recognition since it was rendering modern educational curriculum together with spiritual education. What is mentioned as main cause of this is the students were identified in their educational capacity, politeness and etiquette that easily attracts the attention of the community.

When the number of students has been increased, the community had presented request for the students to pay some amount of payment and get better educational service, in the year in 1970 a minimum payment of 5 birr had been decided to be paid which had put the precedent for the payment that being executed to students so far to this date.When the interest of the community towards the school has been increased from time to time, and since the demand was beyond the admittance capacity of the school, the student admission to the school was made by a committee which annually established for this purpose.At that time the school was established for the first time, it was holding the rooms which rest behind the cathedral’s school. When the number of student has been increased, it had hold the area which is now place of rendering primary education and in 1976 the national examination were given to student grading up to 12 and during the impact caused on to it at the time, it had been decided to be limited from 1st up to 8th grade only.

Despite the fact that the change brought following the 1974 revolution, it had caused impact on the growth of the school, however; the administrators and staffs of the cathedral at that time paid grater sacrifices and exerted concerted efforts to achieve the present performance of the school. For this reason the present day Menbere Tsebahot Trinity cathedral school has three levels or steps which have been educating students in organized manners.

Kindergarten
Primary school
Secondary and preparatory schools

It had started to rehandle secondary school students while opening ninth grade in the year 1982 and consequent to this in the year 2005 in the newly constructed building it has already launched admission of students in secondary, college and preparatory levels. Accordingly the school is now a days admitting not less than 2500 students in the level of kindergarten up to pre colleges preparatory levels. In light of the quality of the school, many students have been passing the national examination and resulting in recognition and acknowledgment of Menbere Tsebahot Holy Trinity cathedral school among various sections of the community in Addis Ababa. For this reason, the school not only rendering its educational service in its cathedral but also becoming pride and owner to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church.

2. Meskaye Hazunan Medhanialem Monastery school

Meskaye Hazunan Medhanialem Monastery school has established its primary and secondary schools in the year 1982 following Menbere Tsebahot Holy Triniy cathedral school. This school has been following the educational curriculum set by the ministry of education by constructing a 6 story building and also exerting a lot of effort to address the school to a higher level from its present stage of secondary school. Accordingly, the monastery school has admitted not less than 2000 students from kindergarten to secondary levels by giving the proper quality of education. In light of the quality of the school, the students have been joining higher education by passing and scoring higher results in the national examinations and hence the school is consider to be one of the recognized schools in the beneficiary community of Addis Ababa. For this reason, the school is now days providing a rewarding and appreciated service to the monastery as well as the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

3. Debre Hail Saint Raguel Church School

Debre Hail Saint Raguel Church School is established on July 13, 1999 by the collaboration of the parishes administration and development committee as well as the diocese. The school which started rendering it primary education in its three story building thereby growing up to a level of secondary education in the year 1978. The school had put the 10th grade student for national examination while in the preparatory level several number of student from 11 up to 12 scoring good results for joining universities and presently the primary education as well as secondary education is mentioned among the few recognized and appreciated schools within Addis Ababa.

4. Menbere Mengest Saint Gabriel Monastery School

Menbere Mengest Saint Gabriel Monastery School is established in 2006 and rendering regular education to the community from kindergarten to grade 10.

5. Debre Mewie Saint Michael Cathedral School

Debre Mewie Saint Michael Cathedral School in 2007 which has opened primary school and rendering its educational service from 1st up to 8th grade.

There are other schools which are not mentioned here but we are intending to state them in the future time.