Over 18 million children in Ethiopia are enrolled at the primary level with a net enrollment rate of 100 percent. Unfortunately, the positive achievement of getting more children into school has strained the capacity of the system, and student learning has suffered. USAID's 2018 Early Grade Reading Assessment suggests that only 40 percent of students in grades 2 and 3 can read at a satisfactory level of 20-25 words per minute. The lack of printed materials and insufficient support for teachers has resulted in many students failing to acquire basic literacy skills that would allow them to learn other subjects and advance beyond primary school. In partnership with the Ministry of Education and regional state education bureaus, USAID invests in Ethiopia's children and youth to improve reading and reading skills among 15 million students in grades 1-8, and prepare young Ethiopians to lead more prosperous lives. The organization focuses on early grade reading because literacy is at the core of developing young independent thinkers whose academic excellence will enable them to make a meaningful difference in their community and around the world.