This summer I was illegally detained for 68 hours without my passport or cell phone, and then deported along with 5 other GWU students, after only 3 ½ weeks of what was supposed to be 6 weeks worth of teaching English in Ethiopia.
While it was happening, I was alternatively terrified for my life and amused by the theatrics of the Immigration Center officials, who seemed to be imitating their own vision of the ideal tough guy from a Hollywood crime blockbuster.
It was probably the most ridiculous thing I have ever been a part of, but it did force me to rethink the reason I was spending a summer in Ethiopia.
Volunteering abroad, particularly in developing countries, is a popular summer activity for college students. Humanitarian work has a good reputation among our age group—it is publicized as the ultimate manifestation of altruism, the most selfless way to spend a summer. Hence the popularity of organizations such as Learning Enterprises, the organizer of the Ethiopia program. This assumption, however, is not always correct.
Some of my fellow teachers were frustrated at the incompetence of a government that would kick out volunteers who are willing to give up their time to teach.
When we were questioned by Immigration officials who doubted our credentials and motives, and proceeded to accuse us of “over-knowledging” the children, it was difficult not to respond with a scathing “I am qualified to teach here because I am speaking fluent English and you are using words like ‘over-knowledging.’”
[caption id="attachment_2311" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Monika and her students at Gadaa School in Haramaya. Monika was deported from Ethopia for reasons she continues to dispute."]
[/caption]Nevertheless they had a good point. High school in Ethiopia is taught exclusively in English, so elementary school students must pass an English competence exam to be able to continue their education. The grammar and content of this exam is appalling.
As a fluent English speaker I was not able to decipher the meaning or correct answer to most of the questions, nor was I able to have an articulate conversation with any of the high school teachers that I met. Most professionals have left the country to find higher salaries in foreign countries, and those that are left have been trained to teach by repetition methods. Furthermore, teachers and parents are expected to use corporal punishment to maintain order and discipline, with the expectation that this will elicit good behavior in the future.
The question then is, why English? Why not adopt Arabic, or even the local language, as the standard for education? At least then there would be native speakers available to teach. Moreover, an English education simply enables the most highly educated individuals to leave the country and put their English skills to use by finding a better salary overseas, and contribute nothing to Ethiopia itself.
If our goal in going to Ethiopia was to educate children, we failed miserably.
We had no understanding of the educational system and the best way to contribute our time and expertise. And the most awful thing about it all is that the government in Ethiopia also has no understanding of the requirements for a successful educational system and the best way to efficiently teach students.
For one, in a country where 17 is the median age and over 46% of the population is under age 14, there is simply a lack of individuals available who could have a full time job as a teacher.
Ultimately, the problem is the lack of soul-searching among those of us who would jump at the chance to teach in Ethiopia. To be truly helpful, a volunteer has to have a clear understanding of the need that exists, and be honest about his/her ability to successfully understand and fill that need.
Can a young, idealistic Western-educated white student fulfill the needs of Ethiopian children in rural Ethiopia? In a word, no.
Monika Wysocki writes and reports for WRGW News. The official press release by Learning Enterprises is available here.
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You are SO BRAVE!!
ReplyDelete[...] Moreover, an English education simply enables the most highly educated individuals to leave the country and put their English skills to use by finding a better salary overseas, and contribute nothing to Ethiopia itself. …Continue Reading… [...]
ReplyDeletei am going to ethiopia this summer to teach english. thank you for this insight it certainly makes me think about motives etc. i am grateful that i will be staying with my aunt and uncle who live there and have real positive influence in their community.
ReplyDeleteI've got to be honest with you, while this article raises some good points, it is also a bit ignorant and small-minded in some ways as well. For instance, Ethiopia will never adopt arabic into the educational system, because amharic is the country's official language...you couldn't have hit up wikipedia? Moreover, people in many third world countries migrate to put their English skills to use in other countries. I can understand the anger toward being deported but don't take it out on the entire country and make patronizing and impertinent comments like: "Can a young, idealistic Western-educated white student fulfill the needs of Ethiopian children in rural Ethiopia? In a word, no."
ReplyDeleteI've got to be honest with you, while this article raises some good points, it is also a bit ignorant and small-minded in some ways as well. For instance, Ethiopia will never adopt arabic into the educational system, because amharic is the country's official language...you couldn't have hit up wikipedia? Moreover, people in many third world countries migrate to put their English skills to use in other countries. I can understand the anger toward being deported but don't take it out on the entire country and make patronizing and impertinent comments like: "Can a young, idealistic Western-educated white student fulfill the needs of Ethiopian children in rural Ethiopia? In a word, no."
ReplyDelete