Traditional education in Ethiopia

Students graduated from every monasteries earn ranks of priesthood and upon reaching the final stage, the Negus, they acquire an intellectual elite, known as debtera.

Debteras are ordained clergymen specialized ecclesiastical and secular knowledge and considered literate people among ruling class of feudal monarchy.

Formally, traditional education faded away since the start of European-styled schools opened in the early 20th century and assistance by Emperor Menelik II.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has crucial role to disseminate traditional ancient educational system of Ethiopia to read Old and New Testaments in Ge'ez since Axumite period in 330 AD.

Under the last stage in elementary school, the role to be deacon was basic rule for church leaders and transition to higher education and serving as debtera or full-time priest.

At this time, grasping the whole Psalms of David into memory with proper pronunciation and intonation is needed, and other prayers such as Wudasse Amlak (Praises to God), Arganon (Praises to the Virgin Mary) are arranged for each day of the week; Songs of Solomon, Songs of the Prophets, elementary Kidase (rudiments of general liturgy) and Sa'atat (hours of night service) should be memorized in mind.

For example, monastery of Bethlehem in Begemder specialized in Degua while Zuramba in the same province was renown for Zemare and Mewaset, Serekula in Wadla (Wollo) and Debre Abay in Tigray were noted for Kedase.

[3] Although most educated debteras remained to church, they were largely scribes, copying texts from sacred books and petitioned for fee, running ecclesiastical affairs or set chronicles in courts of kings and nobles, who sometimes, were illiterate.

Count Gleichen wrote in his 1898 book that upper classes only could write and read with exception of priests, and the Negus/Emperor himself had not ability to write/read unless hiring secretary to assist.

Moreover, most people flocked to them today to purchase amulets to safeguard against "evil eye", win them the "favors" of a higher official, or simply serve them as a "love potion".

[4] There was great success in conversion to Protestantism between 1850s and 1860s rather than Catholicism as Emperor Tewodros II (r. 1855–1868) granted passionated introduction of European technology to Ethiopia and Protestant missionaries growing concurrently.

[4] Under Emperor Menelik II (r. 1889–1913) modernization, he forced to establish state-sponsored educational institution near his palace in Addis Ababa for sons of nobilities and aristocrats as general populace rejected such steps.