Laying the Cornerstone of the Arts Building
UCI ~ I See You
Copyright © 2011-2017  UMOJA Connection, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Counter
Nothing is hidden from God's view!...
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 can not be considered true education.

HIGHER 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 our 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 culture 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 for 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 reponsibility 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 mold 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 sense 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.

May 26, 1965