Only 8.4% of Ethiopian Grade 12 Students Passed 2017 Exam











Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education has released the 2017 (Ethiopian calendar) Grade 12 national examination results, painting a complex picture of incremental improvement against a backdrop of systemic hurdles. Education Minister Professor Berhanu Nega detailed the outcomes in an official statement, highlighting both encouraging gains and persistent gaps in the country’s secondary education system.

Overall Performance: 8.4% Cross the 50% Threshold

Out of 585,882 students who sat for the national exam, only 48,929—or 8.4%—scored 50% or above, the benchmark for passing. Although still alarmingly low, this represents a notable increase from the previous year, when 36,409 students reached the same threshold.

By gender, 30,451 male and 18,478 female students passed. The figures reflect a continuing gender gap in performance, but the overall rise in successful candidates suggests some progress in teaching quality and exam preparedness across the country.

Regional Highlights: Addis Ababa Leads

Three regions stood out for their comparatively high pass rates:

Addis Ababa

Harari

Amhara Region

These areas outperformed the national average, reinforcing a long-observed pattern: students in urban centers and more economically developed regions have greater access to quality education and resources.

Subject Breakdown: Natural Sciences Outperform Social Sciences

Professor Berhanu reported a wider performance gap between disciplines:

11.4% of Natural Science candidates scored 50% or higher.

Only 5.2% of Social Science candidates achieved the same benchmark.

The stronger results in Natural Sciences could reflect targeted investments in STEM programs, but they also underscore the need to strengthen humanities and social science education.

Top Performers: Exceptional Scores Across Disciplines

Ethiopia’s brightest students achieved remarkable results:

Natural Sciences

591/600 – Male student from Dodola Ifa Boru School.

579/600 – Female student from Basrate Gabriel School.

Social Sciences

562/600 – Male student from Ambo Boarding School.

548/600 – Female student from St. Joseph’s School.

These exceptional performances showcase individual dedication and the potential of high-achieving schools, even as national averages remain low.

Schools’ Pass Rates: Stark Contrasts

The minister revealed wide disparities in school performance:

1,249 schools failed to pass a single student.

Only 50 schools achieved a 100% pass rate.

While 114 schools showed year-over-year improvement, the gulf between top-performing and underperforming schools highlights persistent inequalities in teaching standards, infrastructure, and resource allocation.

Boarding and Private Schools Outshine Government Institutions

Data on average scores reveal further contrasts:

Boarding schools: 71%

Government schools: 30.6%

Private schools: 51%

Boarding schools, which typically provide structured study environments and consistent resources, significantly outperformed public institutions. The figures raise concerns about the quality and equity of Ethiopia’s public education system.

A Year of Mixed Signals

While the share of students passing has grown from 36,409 last year to 48,929, the fact that over 90% of examinees still failed to meet the 50% benchmark remains a pressing national challenge. Professor Berhanu acknowledged that although “the number of students who took the exam has decreased, the number of students who passed has increased,” systemic reforms must accelerate to close the gap.

Looking Ahead: Policy and Reform Imperatives

The latest results underscore both progress and persistent weaknesses in Ethiopia’s education sector. Addressing these gaps will require:

Equitable resource distribution to rural and underserved schools.

Stronger support for social science education to balance academic strengths.

Targeted teacher training and infrastructure investment to narrow the performance gap between private and government schools.

Ethiopia’s slow but visible improvement in Grade 12 exam outcomes offers cautious optimism. Yet the figures are also a call to action: unless reforms are deepened and education access broadened, the country risks leaving behind hundreds of thousands of students each year.