Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Soliana Zerihun is awake and preparing lessons in the dark, local reports say, long before Addis Ababa’s blue-and-white taxis sound their first horns.
The 27-year-old primary-school teacher is among growing numbers of Ethiopian educators whose working day now extends far beyond the classroom, according to accounts published on 14 February. Sources close to the matter say Zerihun earns roughly 4,000–5,500 birr (about 70–95 US dollars) a month, an income that fails to cover the city’s basic food basket.
To close the gap, she teaches fourth graders at dawn and is believed to take on a second, unspecified job after classes, embodying what observers term the capital’s “quiet hustle.
” Independent observers say such double-shift routines have become typical among civil servants as inflation remains above 30 percent and public-sector wages lag behind rising living costs. Official statements indicate no immediate pay review is planned, leaving many teachers dependent on moonlighting, small trade, or private tutoring to survive.
Although Zerihun did not disclose health effects, studies cited by occupational researchers warn that sustained multi — job schedules are linked to shortened sleep and higher risk of depressive symptoms, suggesting hidden costs to the extra workload.
Authorities have not yet commented on calls by local unions for emergency salary adjustments. Further details are expected as parliament prepares to examine upcoming budget allocations.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 4*
