Research by a team led by Mohammed Sule Issak of Jinka University compared access to education across agro-pastoralist communities in three woredas of South Omo Zone – Dasenech in the south-west, Bena Tsemay in the centre and Malle in the north. The findings identify agro-pastoralist communities of South Omo as amongst the most underserved and underprivileged groups in Ethiopia in terms of educational opportunities.
While student attendance is impacted by seasonal migration, research findings also identify high costs of living and low pay of teachers as contributing to staff absenteeism and above-average turnover. Many girls do not attend school due to gender norms and early marriage. Furthermore, the curriculum does not properly consider indigenous knowledge or agropastoral needs.