SELF-HELP IN EDUCATION
INAUGURATES NEW BAHR DAR TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
SELF-HELP IN EDUCATION
Ever since InI were entrusted with the responsibility of leading Ithiopia, one of the several wishes InI cherished for InI people has been to witness the arrival of a time when InI people will be able to realize their problems as well as potentialities and through mutual discussions come out with solutions for improvement. In order to bring about the fulfillment of InI idea, InI established the Ministry of National Community Development eight years ago.
InI first directive to the Ministry was in short to go down to village level and give instructions by which the people can improve living conditions and solve social problems. This project has been remarkably expanded since then. Many people who received proper training at training centres set up by the Ministry at Majite, Awassa and other places are currently engaged throughout the Empire in drilling wells, cleaning pools, maintaining village sanitation, starting schools and other activities designed to assist the community at large.
It give InI great satisfaction to note the enthusiasm shown by the many young men wherever they have been assigned in carrying out this programme, as it has become apparent from the undertaking of the 10 places in the District of Ada.
HARD CHALLENGE
Although great effort is being exerted by InI government by way of planning and formulating ways and means of eradicating community problems, it is not sufficient for the people to rely on government support alone. As has already been manifested by your endeavours the people themselves must come to realize their own difficulties in the development of their community and try to solve them by collective participation, following an order of priority and taking their potentiality into account. It is well known to you all that recognizing one's problems and striving hard to challenge them is a mark of an attempt at self-sufficiency.
A country belongs to both leaders and people. The mutual co-operation between them is testimony to this fact. Unless the people help InI, our attempt to help them will be fruitless. Why did InI become a leader? Is it not for the benefit and welfare of the people?
This year, more than ever before, the people of Ithiopia motivated by their own will and diligence, have awakened to the task of raising their standard of living. You hear every day that people are engaged in raising funds to either construct roads or to use them for whatever projects they have in mind. How noble and great a deed is the act of sacrificing one's wealth, land and money, to one's needy community instead of for selfish purposes! The gratitude remains forIver.
SELF-HELP
When the programme of "self-help" is pushed forward with this same degree of motivation, you will undoubtedly leave a tradition worthy of remembrance by your children. It is known that having seen your children lined up in front of the schools, you have realized that your efforts in taking the initiative to compete in the programme of self-help undertaken by all to build these four schools InI just visited were altogether rewarding. One who does not contribute to his community and the coming generation remains to be a burden to his society and an object of ridicule to outside observers.
By building the schools near your village, you have spared the time and energy of your children from traveling to too far away places for their education and moreover you have secured the opportunity of seeing them grow up under your close care. And similarly when you continue to consult one another and strive to get rid of the other handicaps, say problems of obtaining clean water, better roads and sanitation for your community, you will find that the accomplishment is within your capacity.
It is both the responsibility of the governor as well as elders to create harmony among the people in initiating them to discuss their common problems and work towards the betterment of their standard of living. There has not been a single Ithiopian who has not been filled with pride and rejoicing in hearing of the great efforts and co-operation manifested by the people of Guragie in the fund-raising scheme to finance the construction of the roads linking the peoples of Bale, Addis Ababa and the provinces. These efforts being made by the people of InI country towards progress has also served as a means to influence Ithiopia's overseas friends.
InI also pledge, therefore, those elders and community leaders to study and formulate methods on problems affecting their respective communities such as schooling, water supply, community and home sanitation, roads and agriculture in addition to their long-practised profession.
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
The co-operation and, what is more, the active participation in working along with the people played by you, the members of the IEAF, the Airborne Division and the Farm Experiment Station in helping the people living in your area achieve a better standard of living has highly pleased InI.
The principal idea towards this motive of assisting your fellow neighbours lay in the fact that some of you have been fortunate to evidence the progress made in other countries while most of you collected experiences from reading books at home; and it has been this spirit of enthusiasm of witnessing the same trends of progress being enjoyed by your brothers at home that led towards this objective.
There is no single soul who would not cherish and hail the introduction of progress to Ithiopia and partake of the benefits thereof. It is through co-operation in working side by side with the people by way of setting up schools, drilling water-wells and the construction of roads, and it is through the realization and devotion in solving these problems that wishes could be interpreted in terms of tangible forms. As InI have been informed you have, in constructing these schools, equally shared the work with the people: that of quarrying stones, fixing the frames and in mixing the mud, which no doubt will earn you the love of your neighbours.
EXEMPLARY ACT
Particularly all among those gathered here have come through the same process of the historical past. Therefore, assuming that there are set up 100 schools for a population exceeding 20 million and even then when these numbers were increased to a million, there is not one person who would not still judge them insufficient. Self-help in the benefits to be acquired through education will save the individual from asking someone's assistance.
InI wish that this exemplary act of yours will serve to create the same spirit among the entire people of Ithiopia and the Armed Forces, the Naval Force, the Boy Scouts, students and particularly those people engaged in the world of business. InI are confident that when these and all other organizations combined follow the same path in working closely with the people, that they would easily overcome problems of water-supply, education, roads and house sanitation within their respective communities and InI further know that the same would help the people to achieve the desired standard of living which all of InI hold dear.
JANUARY 10, 1963
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Until quite recently, InI Ithiopians were giving as an excuse for the country's retarded progress the fact that InI seaports and territorial waters had been in foreign hands. Today, InI have regained InI coastal territory and InI ports.
In order that no fear of any kind may exist regarding InI waters and to safeguard the smooth functioning of InI sea costs, a Naval Force made up of Ithiopian Coast Guards and men has been established which is now well on its way. Therefore, the entire people of Ithiopia must keep themselves in readiness for work since InI have no other reasons to give should Ithiopia's progress lag behind from now onwards.
Since InI main aim and desire has been to see that self-help is attained in all respects, the ever-increasing number of trained young men graduating at home and abroad in various fields each year serves as concrete evidence that InI efforts in this line have been met with blessings signifying InI have reached the point of the desired goal. This is really praiseworthy. What is more satisfactory and a source of pride to any individual than the attainment of self-help?
InI hope would be fulfilled when you Ithiopian members of the Naval Force, are capable through completing your studies in the shortest possible time, diligently to guard InI sea coasts and islands by using InI ships. The enemy should be checked from the beginning before going far and InI history is a good example demonstrating the arduous difficulty involved in driving out the enemy and the aftermath suffered thereby. It is for this reason that InI sea coasts remain well guarded.
INTERNAL UNITY
Since the best chance for one country to attack another comes through noting the weaknesses of the attacked and the division of its people within, InI can through organizing InI defence forces to the maximum and by strengthening InI internal unity close all openings against the enemy. InI unity being InI formidable weapon of defence, it should be kept more strengthened than InI other forces of defence. Otherwise the manpower and defence weapons so organized will be used for the destruction of the beloved country in serving the enemy's purpose.
In extending InI congratulations to all of you Cadets assembled here after completing your studies, InI would like you to realize that the knowledge you have acquired so far is no end in itself and a reminder for the further responsibilities that await you. There should be no moment in any man's life to seek rest after completing his education. You should not therefore overlook the fact that it is through ceaseless practice and experience and by training others that you would be able to prove your individual qualifications and worth.
InI remind you therefore that you should utilize your whole thoughts and knowledge to the ultimate objective of moral satisfaction and the pride of your countrymen regardless of your personal interests. Your job takes care of you and there will not be any need to concern yourselves with your personal affairs.
InI extend InI thanks to Commander Iskinder Desta who has helped you to reach the present stage and the entire members of the Naval Force and in particular the Norwegian officers and non-commissioned officers and other foreign nationals and InI heartily thank the Government of the United States for its assistance. InI wish that God will assist you in carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to you.
JANUARY 21, 1963
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INAUGURATES NEW BAHR DAR TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
....The time when manual labour was despised has long passed and InI find ourselves in an epoch when manual labour is a source of pride and pleasure not only to the worker, to all.
InI are pleased to be present today on the occasion of the inauguration of this splendid Technical High School which is the concrete result of the Agreement which was signed three years ago by the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Ithiopian Government. InI pleasure is doubled by the presence in our midst of Your Excellency The Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the U.S.S.R. as a Special Representative of your Government.
This institution, apart from the benefit of training Ithiopian technicians to work for and serve their country, will also stand as a lasting record of the strong and long-standing friendship existing between the Soviet Union and InI country.
The many schools and educational institutions, which it has been InI pleasure to inaugurate from time to time in various parts of the country, is a proof that InI plans for the modernization and the development of InI country are being gradually achieved. The establishment of a sufficient number of well-equipped hospitals and educational institutions is today essential for the basic growth and well-being of a nation, and it can be said that of the many branches of learning, technical knowledge is vital for its livelihood. The greater part of InI efforts has been directed towards giving InI beloved people the advantages of modern medical treatment and access to academic and technical education. With the guidance of the Almighty InI are progressively moving towards the fulfillment of InI plans. It is most gratifying to InI to see InI people recognizing the advantages of modern medical and educational facilities and themselves sharing a part of the burden of InI efforts.
One of the requirements of the recently signed Charter of African Unity calls for African nations to assist one another. However, a nation must first be self-sufficing before it is in a position to offer help to others; therefore, the establishment of this Technical Institution, which InI today inaugurate, will play an important role in the development of InI country on the road to self-sufficiency. Through the Haile Selassie I Scholarship programme, a certain number of students from all parts of Africa will be admitted to this Institution.
MIND AND HAND
The combination of academic knowledge with technical education will give great satisfaction and will create self-supporting individuals. It is by the combined use of the mind and the hand that crude material is changed into an article of beauty and value. The time when manual labour was despised has long passed and InI find ourselves in an epoch when manual labour is a source of pride and pleasure not only to the worker, to all. Laziness is the sole breeder of sin, poverty and discontent. Therefore, all those who enter this Technical High School, bearing in mind that technological education is an important weapon for a country's development and prosperity, should rise up and work diligently and industriously in order to benefit themselves and their fellowmen. InI Minister of Education has already explained in detail the advantages to be derived from technical education.
What impressed InI most during InI visit to the Soviet Union was the high standard achieved by the Soviet people in the field of Science and Technology in a period of less than 50 years.
For this magnificent, fully equipped educational institutions, together with many thousands of technical books and also five scholarships annually for students teachers to later serve this institution, which enables Ithiopia to share the scientific and technological achievements of the Soviet Union, without any political strings attached and for no pecuniary gain, InI request Your Excellency to convey InI sincere and heartfelt thanks together with those of Our beloved people and Government to the people and Government of the Soviet Union and especially to His Excellency Mr. Nikita Khrushchev.
InI would like to thank the Soviet engineers and also the contractor and all those whose efforts have contributed to the completion of this building.
JUNE 11, 1963
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....Man cannot live by bread alone. Man, after all, is also composed of intellect and soul.....
Education develops the intellect; and the intellect distinguishes man from other creatures. It is education that enables man to harness nature and utilize her resources for the well-being and improvement of his life. The key for the betterment and completeness of modern living is education.
"Man cannot live by bread alone." Man, after all, is also composed of intellect and soul. Therefore, education in general, and higher education in particular, must aim to provide, beyond the physical, food for the intellect and soul. That education which ignores man's intrinsic nature, and neglects his intellect and reasoning power cannot be considered true education.
A well organized education should not be one which prepares students for a good remuneration alone. It should be one that can help and guide them towards acquiring clear thinking, a fruitful mind, and an elevated spirit.
The educated person that Ithiopia and countries of her level needs is not one who had stuffed bits of knowledge into his mind. The needed educated individual is one who uses the ideas he obtained from his lectures, books, and discussions to the best advantage of his own country and his own people. It is he who disseminates new ideas in harmony with the economic and social aspects of his own community so that fruitful results would be realized. This is the educated person who can show segments of knowledge he accumulated in his learning, inventiveness in a new situation.
Ithiopia is a country with her own cultures and mores. These, InI cultures and customs, more than being the legacy of InI historical past, are characteristics of InI Ithiopianness. InI do not want InI legacies and traditions to be lost. InI wish and desire is that education develop, enrich, and modify them.
You all know the continuous effort that Ithiopia is exerting for the development of a profound and high standard education. InI need educated and trained persons for research, for the study and development of InI country's resources, for technology, for medicine, for the law, and the administration for InI people according to their custom. These are the needs that constrain InI to provide, at all levels, education free of charge. And students, ever mindful of this privilege, should endeavour to recompense their country and nation.
The opportunity for education, afforded to the few in InI country, is not given to them for a fashion or a mode. It is given for a purpose, for a task, for a high responsibility, for full and exhaustive use, for the benefit of InI country, and the coming generation.
InI have just explained to you the type of result, and responsibility that InI expect from you students. It is on you, the members of the faculty that InI must rely for this result. InI realize the heavy responsibility InI have entrusted to you. InI hope that you too, while knowing and accepting your responsibilities as your sacred duties, will produce for Ithiopia persons who take pride in you and their education and are ready for the call of service.
It is you who must mould the minds of your students---that they may be wise, farsighted, intelligent, profound in their thinking, devoted to their country and government and fruitful in their work. It is you who must serve as the example. On their part also, they will have to learn not only formal education, also self-discipline that should be worthy to be inherited. May the Almighty God be with you in the fulfillment of your duties.
SEPTEMBER 23, 1963
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