UAE’s Al Maktoum Foundation Educational Mission in Ethiopia Finalized

By African View Staff Writer
Published: July 2025

The Al Maktoum Charity Foundation has officially completed its seven‑year education program in Ethiopia, handing over two purpose‑built schools and a suite of teaching resources to local authorities.

Burka‑Wayo School (Sheger, Oromia) and Kara‑Kori/Ayat School (Addis Ababa) each ran double shifts, together teaching more than 2,000 pupils every day.

Both campuses consistently posted top exam scores at the regional and national level, thanks in part to year‑round teacher‑training workshops and Arabic‑language courses organized by the Foundation.

On 29 July, the Burka‑Wayo campus keys were presented to the Oromia Regional Education Bureau at a community celebration near Addis Ababa. The Addis Ababa’s Education Office will take charge of the Kara‑Kori/Ayat School on 20 August, after final preparations have been made.

The Foundation also published new Arabic‑language textbooks for Ethiopian schools; Partnered with universities, including Woldia, Kotebe, and Afar, to run teacher‑qualification courses the foundation has also honored staff members with end‑of‑service awards and full benefits payouts.

“These schools are a gift from the people of the UAE to Ethiopia,” said Abdul Salam Kuku, Director of the Foundation’s Addis Ababa office. “We are proud to leave behind institutions that will keep empowering young Ethiopians for decades.”

Philanthropic investments like Al Maktoum’s fill vital gaps in school infrastructure and teacher development. The challenge now is sustaining those gains under local management, ensuring that high standards, regular training, and resource‑rich classrooms remain the norm long after the ribbon-cutting.