Almost 2,000 students throughout Ethiopia's Wolaita district decided they wanted to spend their summer brushing up on English and prepping for the next school year rather than wait another few months to hit the books.
The summer-learning program was initiated after students from several Southern Ethiopian schools noticed their Learning Labs would remain closed during the summer. After coordinating efforts with their teachers, the students ensured a student-coordinator would be present to help manage the Labs during summer vacation.
The summer-learning program in Wolaita utilized 8 Learning Labs where enthusiastic students not only improved their familiarity with technology, but encouraged other students and friends to continue their learning throughout the summer who might not have been able to otherwise.
Top students tutored medium-level students at the summer-learning programs, and overall, students became better at working in groups, holding responsibilities, and helping fellow students reach their academic goals.
This excitement for learning was shared by both the girls and boys of Wolaita. Of the 1,839 students who attended the summer learning labs, 26% were girls, and 3 of the volunteer student-coordinators were girls.
Yared Zelleke is a volunteer student-coordinator from the Sodo comprehensive preparatory school. He was one of 14 other student-coordinators who oversee the management of each summer-learning lab to ensure it remains available for public use.
Zelleke is among the many students who encouraged their friends to use Learning Labs during the summer months.
“If I am asked to recommend something good to students, I would tell students to come and use learning lab,” Zelleke said.