CORNERSTONE: ARTS BUILDING
….
Man cannot live by bread alone. Man, after all, is also composed of
intellect and soul …..
Education develops the intellect; and the
intellect distinguishes man from other creatures. It is education that enables
man to harness nature and utilize her resources for the well-being and
improvement of his life. The key for the betterment and completeness of modern
living is education.
But,
“Man cannot live by bread alone.” Man, after all, is also composed of intellect
and soul. Therefore, education in general, and higher education in particular,
must aim to provide, beyond the physical, food for the intellect and soul. That
education which ignores man’s intrinsic nature, and neglects his intellect and
reasoning power cannot be considered true education.
A
well organized education should not be one which prepares students for a good
remuneration alone. It should be one that can help and guide them towards
acquiring clear thinking, a fruitful mind, and an elevated spirit.
The educated person that Ethiopia and
countries of her level needs is not one who had stuffed bits of knowledge into
his mind. The needed educated individual is one who uses the ideas he obtained
from his lectures, books, and discussions to the best advantage of his own
country and his own people. It is he who disseminates new ideas in harmony with
the economic and social aspects of his own community so that fruitful results
would be realized. This is the educated person who can show segments of
knowledge he accumulated in his learning, inventiveness in a new situation.
Ethiopia is a country with her own
cultures and mores. These, our cultures and customs, more than being the legacy
of our historical past, are characteristics of our Ethiopianness. We do not
want our legacies and traditions to be lost. Our wish and desire is that
education develop, enrich, and modify them.
You all know the continuous effort that
Ethiopia is exerting for the development of a profound and high standard
education. We need educated and trained persons for research, for the study and
development of our country’s resources, for technology, for medicine, for the
law, and the administration for our people according to their custom. These are
the needs that constrain Us to provide, at all levels, education free of
charge. And students, ever mindful of this privilege, should endeavour to
recompense their country and nation.
The opportunity for education, afforded to
the few in our country, is not given to them for a fashion or a mode. It is
given for a purpose, for a task, for a high responsibility, for full and
exhaustive use, for the benefit of our country, and the coming generation.
We have just explained to you the type of
result, and responsibility that We expect from you students. It is on you, the
members of the faculty that We must rely for this result. We realize the heavy
responsibility We have entrusted to you. We hope that you too, while believing
and accepting your responsibilities as your sacred duties, will produce for
Ethiopia persons who take pride in you and their education and are ready for
the call of service.
It is you who must mould the minds of your
students – that they may be wise, farsighted, intelligent, profound in their
thinking, devoted to their country and government and fruitful in their work.
It is you who must serve as the example. On their part also, they will have to
learn not only formal education but also self-discipline that should be worthy
to be inherited. May the Almighty God be with you in the fulfillment of your
duties.
Sep. 23, 1963.
Selected
Speeches of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie – page 34 –
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