Walking past schools on their way to work, eight-year-old Selemon and Temesgen dreamed of one day joining the other children in the classroom. Selemon worked as a day laborer during the coffee harvesting season and Temesgen shined shoes to earn enough money to buy one meal a day for his family. Neither had ever stepped into a classroom.
That changed when they learned of Speed School, a funder-supported program launched in Ethiopia in 2011 to bring out-of-school children into the formal education system. Since entering school at the age of nine, the two students’ lives have drastically changed. Now, years later, these two former Speed School students are studying at university, two of just four students of their grade to do so in their district.
Since adopted by the government, the program currently aspires to provide the country’s 13 million out-of-school children (UNICEF, 2025) a chance to recoup their missed years of schooling, giving them the first three (or two) years of primary schooling in ten months to be able to join their age peers in learning.
For many families like Selemon’s and Temesgen’s, the cost of education is a major barrier to sending their children to school. Although students may attend school for free in Ethiopia, families must still cover various fees and other expenses, such as uniforms or materials, all costs which parents struggle to meet.
Temesgen’s father passed away when he was five years old, leaving his mother to work as a daily laborer to support her children. She never had the opportunity to complete primary school and was illiterate, struggling as the sole provider for her family. Because of their financial situation, Temesgen’s three brothers moved to live with their uncle. Temesgen stayed with his mother and also picked up day labor to help the two of them survive. His mother could not afford to lose the income he earned let alone pay for his schooling.
As for Selemon, his father also worked as a daily laborer earning a meager wage. Although he attended school until 4th grade and learned to read and write, Selemon’s mother had never had the opportunity to attain a formal education. Rather than learning in a classroom, Selemon worked for his family carrying goods from the market or assisting his father with manual work.
“My family couldn’t afford even the basic costs of schooling,” Selemon recalls. “We struggled to have even one meal a day let alone buy books or uniforms.” Yet, upon hearing about Speed School, both families eagerly took the chance to give their children the education they formerly could not provide.
When the boys joined Speed School, they had no idea what was in store for them.
The first week in a classroom was daunting. Neither boy had ever held a pencil or sat at a desk. But with time and the support of their teacher and bolstered by their new friendship, they began to thrive. Temesgen said his teacher made it easy to adapt. “Her approach made learning enjoyable, and my initial challenges quickly disappeared.” Selemon echoed this positive experience, “Soon, Speed School became a life-changing experience for me. It taught me how to read, write, and manage my time effectively. Most importantly, I learned the value of prioritizing my education.”
One particular moment from his time in Speed School has stuck with Selemon:
“I remember someone from Geneva Global visited us, and he asked me, ‘What do you want to be in the future?’ I was shocked because, at that moment, I couldn’t think like that. My thoughts were always focused on finding food and worrying about how my family was surviving since we were poor. That question felt like a spark, igniting something inside me to think big through education. I quietly told the person from Geneva Global, ‘I want to be a doctor.’
I loved that moment. It motivated me deeply.”
For Temesgen, it was a second chance.
“Before joining Speed School, I often felt disappointed when I saw children my age attending school while I couldn’t. I remember hearing a school campaign song that said, “መማር ያስከብራል አገርን ያኮራል” (Education brings dignity and strengthens a nation). This stuck with me. After joining Speed School, I was motivated by the opportunity it gave me. I felt like I had gotten a second chance at life, and I didn’t want to waste it.”
When Speed School ended, the boys had to enter the conventional education system, a transition equally difficult as their first days in the classroom. The new classes were crowded, had fewer resources, and teachers provided less individual attention. But, as with most former Speed School students, they didn’t just persevere but excelled. Indeed, all Selemon’s and Temesgen’s Speed School classmates from the 2022/2023 school year overcame the limits many Ethiopian students face. While only a third of Ethiopian students graduate from secondary school, all 25 students in their Speed School class graduated 12th grade – an extraordinary feat!
But even when they are able to attend and graduate from secondary school, only around ten percent of Ethiopian students enroll in higher education. One limiting factor is the annual national exam which, as in many countries, determines both whether a student will be accepted into university and which course of study they will follow. Unfortunately, deteriorating classroom conditions, lack of adequately prepared teachers, scarcity of materials and resources, and other widespread shortcomings make it hard for students to succeed.
In 2023, the two boys took the national exam in their home district, Dilla Zuriya, in South Ethiopia Regional State. The exam was difficult, with a national pass rate of just ten percent. Of 502 students in Selemon’s and Temesgen’s district, only four students passed the exam, a shocking 0.8 percent. Of those four students, two were former Speed School students: Selemon Senbeto Bekete and Temesgen Mihretu.
Both attribute their academic success to their time in Speed School. Looking back, Selemon remembers the independent studying skills taught in his class, a tool that became critical for the boys’ academic success. In his district, his teachers stopped coming to school in October of his 12th grade year. When the school called the students to take the national exam, they had gone the entire school year without proper classes.
But remembering the independent studying sessions from Speed School, Selemon had taken that time to teach himself, turning his home into his personal classroom. Afterwards, when only he and three other students passed the exams, he reflected “This experience taught me a valuable lesson about the importance of self-learning.” The tools taught to Speed School students years ago in primary school stuck with them in their studies. Now, Selemon and Temesgen are pursuing dreams they never imagined as children. Many of the 25 students from their class are now working in education or business or studying in secondary school. For Selemon and Temesgen, their success did not peak when they passed the national exam. Selemon is now enrolled at Jinak University studying computer science.
“I aspire to become a software engineer known around the world. I also want to use my knowledge to educate others in my community about technology, especially AI.”
He also plans to pursue a Master’s degree, specializing in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
Temesgen is studying Social Studies and Pedagogy with a specialization in Geography and History Education at Dilla College of Teachers’ Education. During his time at Dilla, he has had the chance to learn Speed School methodology and competency-based instruction, introduced by Geneva Global Ethiopia.
“I plan to become a committed teacher, a role model teacher. Additionally, I aspire to bring the Speed School model to my village to help children like me who never had the chance to go to school.”
Selemon’s and Temesgen’s journey highlights the enormous potential often lost due to a lack of access to education and opportunity for Ethiopian children. Given one chance and the loving dedication of their parents, these two students thrived, utilizing every resource available to them. Both Selemon and Temesgen exemplify the power of education.
From shining shoes and harvesting coffee to shaping the future of technology and education, Selemon and Temesgen have turned a single opportunity into life-changing transformation. With this success they aim to grow not just themselves, but also their families and communities. Their journey is a powerful reminder of the talent that exists across Ethiopia, waiting only for a chance to thrive. With that chance, students like Selemon and Temesgen not only pass exams, they pass milestones that lead to lifelong success.