Ethiopia: Research Shows Ethiopian Educators, Health Workers Face Shrinking Incomes, Eye Career Exit

Addis Abeba — A new study by ActionAid has revealed alarming trends among Ethiopian educators and health workers, many of whom are grappling with worsening financial conditions, deteriorating working environments, and an increasing desire to leave their professions. Titled “The Human Cost of Public Sector Cuts in Africa,” the report paints a clear picture of the human impact of public sector underfunding in Ethiopia.

According to the report, Ethiopian schools have suffered drastic budget cuts; school budgets were slashed by 50% over the past five years. This financial strain has led to widespread shortages of basic learning materials, with all surveyed teachers reporting severe shortages of school furniture and textbooks. More than 80% said they were forced to share limited resources with colleagues.

The study also found that 91% of teachers reported worsening working conditions, and 96% said they had not received any professional training in the last three to five years. These pressures have led to a staggering 91% of Ethiopian teachers expressing intentions to leave the profession–the highest rate among the countries surveyed.

The challenges are no less severe in Ethiopia’s health sector. An overwhelming 95% of health workers surveyed reported chronic shortages of medical equipment and essential medicines. Maternal health services were among the most impacted, with 90% of respondents citing serious service delivery issues.

Financial stress emerged as a central theme, with every surveyed health worker stating that their income was insufficient. Alarmingly, 75% said they had been forced to reduce their families’ food intake due to falling earnings. The mental and emotional toll was also evident: all respondents reported increased stress levels, and three out of four said they struggled to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

The lack of professional development opportunities was another significant concern, with 100% of health workers reporting no access to training. As a result, 65% expressed intentions to leave the profession.

The research indicated that on a national scale, Ethiopia allocates only 7.1% of its budget to health and 23.01% to education, both below internationally recommended benchmarks. The country also loses an estimated $213.3 million annually through tax abuse and spends about 6% of its revenue on servicing external debt.