TEFERI MAKONNEN SCHOOL
SILVER JUBILEE
….. To be able to
say that there are one hundred thousand students, one has to start with one.
It
is over twenty-five years ago that We had conceived the idea of building this
School, but as everything is bound to be accomplished with man as initiator and
God as executor, it was built in its destined time and formally opened
twenty-five years ago.
On
this occasion when We celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the Teferi Makonnen
School and recall the struggle We made to overcome the opposing internal
political forces that We encountered at the time when, having the building
completed, We were recruiting teachers and gathering students in order to get
the work started, We thank Our God who helped Us to achieve Our aim.
Ever
since the day We were elected by God to be the leader of Our beloved Nation,
Our wholehearted desire has been to expand education with which Our people will
develop and guarantee their independence, and since Our accession to the power
of leadership, We have put on this cause Our utmost efforts as much as events
permitted. And this school the Silver Jubilee of which We are celebrating
today, has rendered evident Our desire and effort.
Among those
who, in support of Our idea, have helped Us to found this School, We thank all
who are alive and remember those like the late Blattenguetta Hiruy.
There have been gentlemen and ladies who, sharing Our
conviction that there is no instrument better than education for the
development of Ethiopia and the welfare of Our Nation, helped Us in different
ways. Some of them have done so by inspiring their children to go to school and
others by contributing financially to this cause, to an extent that proved
their realization of the benefit of education. In this connection, We do not
pass without remembering those, for instance, like the late Dej. Habtemariam
Gabregziabier, who sent to the school twenty-three boys together with the
school fees.
The names of the persons who had shown their good-will
to support Our idea and expressed the love for education were written at the
school hall in golden letters on the roll of honour which was removed by the
enemy, and has now been renewed and restituted.
The
Teferi Makonnen School started working guided by the internal regulations We
had provided to it, with Dr. Workneh as Principal and a Frenchman called
Monsieur Jean Guillon, as Director and concurrently teacher. Under them, there
were both foreign and Ethiopian teachers for French and English languages and
the number of students increased from day to day.
Encouraged
After a few years when it was arranged for the pupils
of Teferi Makonnen School to receive examinations sent from schools in Europe,
there were many who passed the examinations and obtained elementary school
certificates. When We were then satisfied with the intelligence of the
Ethiopian pupils and the diligence of the teachers, We were encouraged to
double Our efforts. As We used to see for Ourselves, whenever We visited the
School, their diligence which was resulting in the advancement of the pupils,
We still remember the teachers who were here at that time.
Then
We had only these students who proved progressive and diligent in their studies
sent abroad for pursuing their education. Whereas most of these flowers of
youth grown in this School were destroyed by Italy’s massacre, some have been
spared by God and are now serving their country. But when We thought of sending
them abroad for education, there was a great obstacle between orientation
abroad and preparation at home, and the struggle We faced was worse.
But
convinced that a nation is seen highly possessed of works of civilization due
to its heritage of refinement from past generations and not as a result of work
accomplished in one generation, and realizing that such heritage demands
countless sacrifices, We exerted a great effort in order to remove current
difficulties and to pave the way for the coming generations, and by faith
passed the trial.
Moreover,
as it was Our desire to improve all possible ways of distributing education to
all the Ethiopian population, there has never been one We have not helped
whenever an individual or a society wished to preach education to the
Ethiopians or to open a school.
Other
Schools
To Our Programme aimed at enabling the youth of
Ethiopia to be prepared for the help of their country in different professions
acquired by education and training, We had reinforced the establishment of
modern systems capable of maintaining law and order, as well as of
safe-guarding the security of the country, such as the Regular Army, Police and
Air Force, and in general We had done all to have all systems of public
education go hand in hand.
Even
though work and time have a limited scope to human capacity, We were convinced
that by working with faith, perseverance, firmness and foresight, it was
possible to accomplish much. And Our efforts have been aided by avoiding
arrears of work pending for the coming generations so that there might emerge a
generation up to date with modern civilization to pursue its current life, and
when We were organizing such a peaceful life for Our Nation, We had secured for
it the international guarantee of peace by joining the League of Nations and
signing the Kellog Convention.
But
there came an enemy who interrupted Our peaceful work of leading Ethiopia to a
high civilization and by invading Our country, destroyed all the products of
Our work. Had it not been for all the various obstacles which We encountered
and which hindered Our work, it is obvious that the result of Our initiative
for the purpose of having Ethiopia combine her ancient civilization with the
modern world progress would have appeared much earlier. Never-theless, We thank
God for the kindness We have never missed.
Although
it had, following the invasion of the enemy, fallen sick for some time, the
Teferi Makonnen School which We see today as a young school of twenty-five
years has, in accordance with its age, served a generation and is therefore,
seen with its head upright.
When
We inaugurated this school twenty-five years ago, We extolled the merciful Lord
and said: “To be able to say that there are one hundred thousand students, one
has to start with one.”
Today
in Ethiopia, there are more than 100,000 students. Hence, We feel very happy at
the celebration of the 25th year of Teferi Makonnen School, where We have
expressed Our wishes and see that the mercy of God is limitless.
We feel deeply sorry when We recall the memory of the
youngsters who were educated at this school and who sacrificed their lives for
the sake of their Emperor and country. When We turn to those who are alive and
rendering valuable service to their country, including those who are attending
this inauguration as well as those who are on duty in distant places, Our
sorrow changes into happiness.
And you, students, should realize that for the benefit
of Ethiopia and for Our Nation, Our most important work at present is the
preparation of educated generations for Ethiopia, and We fervently hope that
you will prove worthy of Our efforts for this purpose. We thank those who have
been supporting Us in this cause and We strongly ask them to continue their
support.
Ap. 27, 1950
Selected
Speeches of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie – page 70 –
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