A Brief History

Our Home Away From Home

The Bible Academy was founded in Nazareth, Ethiopia on September 29, 1959 with the enrollment of 13 boys and 1 girl living in rented quarters on a compound located north of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway line. At that time the school had two fulltime instructors, Mr. Chester Wenger (an American) and Ato Daniel Lemma, as well as other part-time missionary teachers.  Mr. Chester Wenger was the man who envisioned the establishment of a secondary school that would offer not only academic subjects, but also give Bible courses.  His recommendations were readily and fully accepted by the sending mission organization, Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Since the rented quarters were not suited for accommodating a large and growing secondary school, land was purchased along the Wonji road with the title deed being in the name of 3 Ethiopian church leaders.  Accordingly, the construction of classrooms, dormitories and staff houses was speeded up +and the school was relocated to the new site in 1960.

The Bible Academy was jointly run by the Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) and Mennonite Mission.  The administration of the school was handled by the MKC Board of Education while the Mission provided many of the teachers.  In order to make the school more conducive and agreeable for the enhancement of quality education, more building were erected and made available for use in the early 1960’s:  a big auditorium, a student center and a science building housing a nice library.

The Bible Academy became famous for its School Leaving Certificate Examination results.  The first graduates all passed giving the school 100% passing record.  Subsequent Ethiopian School Leaving exam results were also very high making the school one of the three top-ranked secondary schools in Ethiopia.  This renowned school continued to perform well until its closure by the Derg Regime in 1982.

The Bible Academy was not just an aristocratic school of learning; it was also a social and spiritual institution where one acquired the virtues of love, patience, acceptance, tolerance, perseverance, diligence and discipline.  The great majority of the students who went through this school have turned out to be great men and great women who have contributed significantly to their own nation in particular and to the world in general.

--by Alemu Checole and Alemayehu Assefa (Staff Members Of The Bible Academy)