Chris de Bode

Abebe Balete, 13. "It's my dream to become a driver. I want to drive a car. It's a good profession and I can earn money." Abebe lives with his two brothers, sister and mother. They are a farming family. His parents are divorced and his father lives in another city so he never sees him. Abebe lives an hour away from his school and walks there every day.

Mr. Murati (centre), a Schools Supervisor, is flanked by a priest (left) and guard (right). Mr Murati is committed to creating a productive and lively learning environment in the schools for which he is responsible. The classroom atmosphere has been transformed thanks to the training of Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) volunteers. Previously, classrooms were depressing; windows were kept shut because teachers feared the drafts would make children sick. Mr Murati and others have taken it upon themselves to stimulate teachers and make school a positive and more enjoyable experience for all.

Amare Habtegebreal, 10, wants to be a policeman when he grows up. "I want to become a policeman because he keeps people under control and is a peacemaker. I want to hold a gun." Amare lives five minutes from school with his brother and two sisters. He is looked after by his father; his mother died two years ago. After the morning shift at school, Amare helps his father in the fields but also plays a little. The wooden gun he holds was made at school.

Meseker Getie, 9, wants to be a teacher when she grows up. "I want to help other children. I like my teacher. I want to teach mathematics. Teachers should be happy."

Tayee Haile Micale, 10, wants to be a head teacher when he grows up. "I like my head teacher. I think he's good. I want to be like him."

Feleke Shalachewu, 10, wants to be a doctor when he grows up. "I want to be a doctor because it's a useful profession. I plan to be a doctor to cure patients. It's the best profession. I want to make my eye better." Feleke lives one hour's walk from school in the village of Chathat, with his farming parents and seven brothers and sisters

Sintayhu Shewatatik, 9, wants to be a trader when she grows up. "I want to be a trader because it's a good profession, I can earn money. I want to sell biscuits, chocolate and sugar." Sintayhu lives 20 minutes from school with her brother, two sisters and mother and father who are both farmers. In her village there are no shops and her inspiration comes from the shops in the main village of Chimbiri.

Endla Habte Gabriel, 10, wants to be a farmer when he grows up. "I want to be a farmer because it is a good profession. I can grow food. I want to grow maize because then we can make injera (a maize flour pancake, Ethiopian staple). I want to plough and I want some animals." Every day Endla helps on the family farm. This is very common in such remote villages. Endla knows how to plough, dragging the plough over the land after the two bulls. The work is physically demanding.

Akilile Haile Mariam, 10, wants to be a pilot when he grows up. "I want to fly a fast plane with passengers. I have seen a plane flying over my village. I can earn a lot of money as a pilot. My parents would definitely like me to be a pilot. I will take my plane home and use it to take passengers and learn to fly."

Students run to school for the morning lessons, through enthusiasm, not because they are late. In recent years in Ethiopia, nearly five million children have been brought into primary education although 40% of children - some 7 million kids - still do not attend school.

'Where is the ball? The ball is on the chair' A classroom in Chimbiri school. Children take turns in putting objects on the chair, while the teacher writes on the blackboard. The teachers learn English themselves at school before attending college, yet many are poorly trained. The young teachers in this school tend to stay for a year then move on, depending on the decisions taken by the government. In remote schools such as this one, teachers stay in the local village and travel home at weekends.

An English lesson in Chimbiri school. The signs on the wall are inspired by teaching methods introduced by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) volunteers. The same teacher teaches both the morning and afternoon classes for the younger and older pupils respectively, which each contain 54 children.

Teaching aid made by Adaba, the English teacher at Gudoberet school. Every school in Ethiopia has a member of staff responsible for making teaching aids and charts for the whole school.

Children in a classroom at Chimbiri school.

Teacher's notes on the blackboard in a classroom for a Grade 1 English class, Chimbiri school. In Ethiopia, there are 68 pupils for every primary teacher, and at upper primary level fewer than 25% of teachers are professionally qualified. One of the problems facing the country is not the amount of teachers, but the quality of their training.

Stationery cupboard in Chimbiri school. The onions on the bench are grown at the school by the teachers and sold in the local village to generate money for the school. Text books and posters for all the classes are borrowed and returned after each lesson.

A Grade 2 classroom in Chimbiri school, which is one of the best, with one desk available for every four students. Although primary education is compulsory in Ethiopia, and free in government-run schools, pupils have to pay for their textbooks and uniforms and in many rural areas schools simply do not exist.

A Grade 8 classroom in Chimbiri school, which relies on improvised desks and accommodates around 30-50 students at one time. There is an absence of teaching aids, posters and equipment, since children higher up the school are still taught using old educational methods.

A Grade 7 classroom in Gudoberet school. A pretend television set made by a teacher as an HIV and AIDS education resource.

Children gather firewood for cooking or help family tend cattle in the fields when they are not at school. It is relatively common at harvest time for children not to attend school because they are needed to work on the land.

Girls huddle together as they walk to school, followed by a boy.