Education was given major consideration even during the most difficult times of the Eritrean armed struggle. When time allowed, other than participating in military activities, education was the first thing the EPLF considered. Fighters used to study under the shades of trees, sitting on stones with the highest sprit of acquiring knowledge. Many fighters who joined the liberation struggle unlettered came back with basic education.

Along with the high sprit of martyrdom, fighters developed the ambition of getting martyred learning something. The illiteracy campaigns of that time remains on the minds of many who participated in the armed struggle and those who had close contact with it. When students of the revolutionary school once refused to attend classes in order to join the combat units, the then vice chairman of the EPLF, Isaias Afewerki, told them that the guns would be kept at the museum, what Eritrea wants is an educated citizens. “Hold on your pens!” With such kind of belief the Front freed Eritrea.

After independence, the Government of Eritrea has been allocating a very large amount of its capital for the development of education. The overall educational progress since 1991 has increased by 267 percent. The number of teachers rose by 228 percent and that of students by 285 percent.

The number of students, from kindergarten up to secondary school level, during independence, in 1991, was about 206,000. In 2006 the number reached more than 731,000. In 15 years, about 10,000 students graduated at university level in different fields and thousands others received various vocational trainings.

The development of education at all levels and throughout the country, provided Eritreans access to better education. Despite the scattered location of villages, every sub zone in the country provides basic education services. The construction of colleges in different parts of the country is also part of the government’s efforts towards enhancing quality education for its people.

Eritrea accepted the compulsory education for all, Dakar Frame Work of Action, in 2000 where the pre-school and elementary school enrollment percentage was 4.4 and 42.3 respectively. Since then the Ministry of Education has been working hard to solve and make a difference in alleviating the literacy rate by introducing strategic educational transformation and making policy amendment. In 2006 students’ enrollment in preschool reached 19.4 percent and that of elementary level showed a 10 percent increase. Girl’s enrolment has also shown good progress despite cultural challenges of the society.

In a global and regional education for all progress, Eritrea is one of the countries with low enrollment percentage and much effort is needed to solve the instance. Although the national illiteracy rate is low, Eritrea has made good progress in preschool enrollment during the last six years and there is a strong political commitment in the country.

Eritrea is working hard to meet, UNESCO’s Education For All (EFA) strategy that aims to expand and improve early childhood development; provide free and compulsory primary education by 2015; promote adult education and literacy; eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 and ensuring gender equality by 2015; provide life skills training for out-of-school youth and improve all aspects of quality education.