The Value of Education in Traditional ERN Society

I was reading an article in awate.com by Bereketeab Habtemariam and found an interesting story he relates. The story is about how village elders (traditiona leaders of Eritrea) value education. Since the article is not about value of eucation and the story is in the middle of the article, many people may not read the story if they didn't read the entire article. so I decided to give it another visibility here........

About a dozen years ago in Asmara, I remember meeting a former teacher by the name of Ato Gebremikael who told me this beautiful story. It was during the federal administration in Eritrea. At that time he was a fresh graduate of the then Teachers’ Training Institute and, as the rule would have it then, his first assignment was at Keshe’At, a village off the road to Zalambesa. He was the only and the first teacher to be assigned there. On his first day, as was customary, he was ushered into the house of the village chief where he meets the chief and the head village priest. The room, where the chief received his guests, was simply furnished with two locally made armchairs and low lying clay sitting-beds, clad wish sheepskin, extending along the inner walls. One of the armchairs was for the chief and the other for an honoured guest; others sat on the clay sitting-beds even if the guest armchair may have been vacant – village protocol. So, when Ato Gebremikael was received by both gentlemen, the village priest stands up and offers him the armchair he had been sitting on. In total amazement and shock, Ato Gebremikael refuses to sit on the armchair saying that would be an act of disrespect. But the village priest insists and, after the chief strongly expressed his agreement, Ato Gebremikael reluctantly accepts the offer and sits. Then, the priest gives him a piece of advice telling him that it was not because he was a teacher that the armchair was offered to him, it was rather because of the knowledge he carried in his head.


Such was the respect that our parents used to render to education and the educated. Next to a priest’s, himself an educated person, the positions of a teacher and that of a physician were revered in Eritrea. When they spoke, people listened and followed. Now! Who is not willing to listen and follow our elite group had it not compromised and undermine its own position?



To read the entire article, click here.

Question: This story demonstrates how leaders in traditional ERN society value education. How does the current leader value education? ---> "Ezom Temahirna Zblu Cheletat..."