Traditional education in Ethiopia

Ge'ez script from 15th century prayer book

The primary level had five stages. The first level consisted of Fidel mastery with 231 Ethiopic letters while the second stage was consisted of Fidel-Hawaria ("the apostle's syllabary"), by studying the first epistle general of Saint John in Ge'ez. Hence, writing and numerical studies began and teachers often taught themselves in their own will.[3]

The third stage was memorizing Gebeta-Hawaria from sections in the New Testament and the Apostles' Creed, which was read by pupils in unison, emphasized the pronunciation and intonation. Tselote-Hawaria studied orally at this stage and writing and numerical studies could continue depending on increasing instruction and pupils wishes. Religious songs therefore started and students would serve choristers.[3]

The fourth stage known as Dawit (Psalms of David), consisting of reading Psalms in Ge'ez pronunciation where instructor supervising pupils carefully. Lessons divided into 15 parts, named after Negus (king), where "Negus" also the first word or phrase of each section. Procession to one Negus to another was highly recommended. Upon reaching the 15th Negus, the student graduated from primary level and parents and teachers bestowed gifts to the pupil. In this parlance, Negus means socialization towards political authority. Under the last stage in elementary school, the role to be deacon was basic rule for church leaders and transition to higher education and serving as debtera or full-time priest. At this time, grasping the whole Psalms of David into memory with proper pronunciation and intonation is needed, and other prayers such as Wudasse Amlak (Praises to God), Arganon (Praises to the Virgin Mary) are arranged for each day of the week; Songs of Solomon, Songs of the Prophets, elementary Kidase (rudiments of general liturgy) and Sa'atat (hours of night service) should be memorized in mind.[3]

Biblical composite manuscript from 16th–18th century

Outstanding students despite striving in higher education, may earn the term "liq" or "debtera" and usually went ancient type of higher education typical to Amhara and Tigray Province. Education at this level had three branches: first Zema Bet (School of Music) and second was Kine Bet (School of Poetry) and the third was Metsahaf Bet (School of texts or books).[3]

Zema Bet has three branches in its own: the first dealing with the study of Degua, the second dealing with Zemare (Eucharist Songs) and Mewaset (Songs for communications and funerals) and the third connected to Kedase (general liturgy). Each of these could be learning in the same institution in specialized localities. For example, monastery of Bethlehem in Begemder specialized in Degua while Zuramba in the same province was renown for Zemare and Mewaset, Serekula in Wadla (Wollo) and Debre Abay in Tigray were noted for Kedase.[3]

Kine Bet concentrated on Sewasew (Ge'ez grammar), teaching twelve different types of composition, takes considerable memory and duration; Sewasew takes 13–19 years and 4 for Derset (composition). Kine schools were located in the monasteries of Woshara, Wadela and Goji in Gojjam Province. The main text was Metsahafe-Falasfa Tabiban (Book of Wise Philosopher), with passages derived from Plato, Aristotle, Diogenes, Cicero etc. Another important text was taken from 17th century Ethiopian philosopher Zera Yacob.[3]

Although most educated debteras remained to church, they were largely scribes, copying texts from sacred books and petitioned for fee, running ecclesiastical affairs or set chronicles in courts of kings and nobles, who sometimes, were illiterate. Illiteracy is not critical matters on the ruling class, but were used as occult powers. One portal reported that Ras Alula of Eritrea could neither read nor write and Vanderheym reported that most Shewan nobles were illiterate and hired educated debteras to look after.[3]

Illiteracy was not always confined to feudal nobility of the Ethiopian Empire since they paid no attention. In the mid-1880s, Flad (1923:87) collected numerous collection of Ethiopian manuscripts in private library in Magdala, suggesting Emperor Tewodros II was not able to write. Count Gleichen wrote in his 1898 book that upper classes only could write and read with exception of priests, and the Negus/Emperor himself had not ability to write/read unless hiring secretary to assist.[3]

The most educated elites among the class was scribes of politically powerful; their prowess to draw secular power and literacy often brought stigmatization from society, labeling them "tenquai" (meaning wizard). The most ordinary debteras often vulnerable to many laymen. Ethiopian peasants believed that every natural phenomenon, even catastrophic, disease and deaths caused by the "incantation" of debteras. Moreover, most people flocked to them today to purchase amulets to safeguard against "evil eye", win them the "favors" of a higher official, or simply serve them as a "love potion".[3]