Strengthening School Inspection Systems to Improve Education Quality in Ethiopia

Abstract

Education is a cornerstone of national economic and social development. For education to drive meaningful change, citizens must access quality education that fosters critical thinking and innovation. One of the key mechanisms to ensure educational quality is school inspection, which monitors teaching and learning processes, ensures accountability, and upholds standards. However, research shows that Ethiopia’s education system faces persistent quality challenges, reflected in poor literacy, numeracy, and low national exam pass rates (MoE, 2022; World Bank, 2022). School inspection plays a vital role as both a monitoring and quality assurance tool (Jones & Tymms, 2014). This policy brief draws from the research “Elements of School Climate: Standards, Status, and Implications for Students’ Academic Wellbeing in Secondary Schools.” It critically examines the inspection system in Ethiopia, focusing on the Addis Ababa Education and Training Quality Regulation Authority (ETQRA) guidelines for accrediting and renewing licenses of secondary schools. It identifies gaps in the framework, including a focus on compliance over continuous improvement and limited attention to holistic quality dimensions. Drawing on national realities and international best practices, the brief proposes 15 actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening inspection through decentralization, stakeholder engagement, infrastructure, curriculum relevance, student well-being, multilingual instruction, and digital tools. Ultimately, it advocates for a forward-looking, inclusive, and student-centered inspection system that not only evaluates but guides schools toward lifelong learning and national development.