Ethiopia Reads Celebrates! Agazzian School

EthiopiaReadsInside Ethiopia Reads

As we celebrate Ethiopia Reads history, let’s pause to honor some of our oldest projects. The Hawassa Reading Center may be turning ten years-old this year, but there are a number of libraries nearly as long running.

The Agazzian Primary School Library in Addis Ababa was foundedby ER in 2007, funded generously by the Goldstein family in honor of late Ezra Goldstein.

“I believe Agazzian School tries to put into practice the training they receive from ER,” says Yemisrach Worku, ER Program Coordinator in Addis Ababa. “The school administration engages the library’s reading-related activities and encourages students to improve their reading skills.”

Agazzian participates in our Book-Centered Learning (BCL) training program, a 3-year program in which 22 schools round Ethiopia receive onsite training from ER in good library administration andprinciples of good reading instruction.

And ER does not stop at opening new libraries. Supporting literacy means working side by side with teachers, administrators, and librarians to provide the best services possible, year after year. As Yemisrach suggests. The best schools go the extra mile. They absorb the spirit of the training to go further.

More Info About the Agazzian School:

  • Enrollment Total: 1,401 (740 female, 661 male)
  • Vice Principal Ato Mirutse is personally engaged with the daily activities of the library
  • Updates the book collection every year are planned into the school’s budget – very unique for a school in Ethiopia
  • School administration meets with parents to discuss how to assist their children to improve their reading skills
  • The school is planning a book event celebration, with a guest list including famous Ethiopian authors, actors and artists.
  • Staff organizes a club called ‘’Tomorrow’s Teacher’’ in which selected students tutor younger children from grades 1-4 during lunch.
  • A reading corner for early grades students was established, where children read aloud for their classmates. The reader of the day sits on a throne and is called the King or Queen of Readers for that day.

Please help us to support the thousands of children served in our library and training programs!