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From shabait.com Sports & Arts
The objective of Mai Tesfa School of Ceramics is to help needy people who wish to be ceramists and those who cannot afford to pay the tuition fee for studying to acquire the necessary skills. The first batch graduated in 1993 after completing a two-year course in painting and ceramics. Two of the 1993 graduates are currently working as instructors in the school. "Art is not about learning, it is about interest," explained Yemane who lost both arms in a bomb explosion at the age of four. He is one of the two instructors in the school. In order to be a ceramist you need to have at least the interest in painting as well as the required skill; if not, you cannot fully understand what you are aiming at, he elaborated.
According to the director of the school, Mr. Eyob Sebhatleab, the competence of the students lies in being competitive. The exhibition staged by Luwam and Mebrahtu at Hotel Intercontinental Asmara a couple of weeks ago is practical example of the competence of the trainees. The school provides training for the poorest section of society and helps them to develop their skills, and thus become self-supporting. It runs diploma and certificate programs, a one and two-year course respectively. Talking about the criteria needed for admission, the director of the school said that an examination is given to the candidates to detect their art capacity, and those who have good knowledge and gift in art participate in the courses. The students on their part are very happy both with the courses offered and their instructors. One of the fourth batch of graduates, Asmait Tekie, asserted that the school is vital for improving their skills and enabling them lead their own life. Asmait explained that she was interested in art and passed the art examination, finished the courses successfully, ultimately graduating in diploma scoring remarkable result.
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Mai Tesfa School of Ceramics,
the only one of its kind in the country, graduated the fourth batch on April 5
of this year, 14 youths graduated on that day. Since its founding in 1989, over
40 students graduated from the school and are now practicing the trade. The
school normally graduates 10 students at a given time. At the time of graduation
of every batch, it stages an exhibition that usually lasts for a week, and as
usual such exhibition was displayed in the premises of the school from April
8-15. 
Yemane worked as a teacher at
the Asmara School of Ceramics and got his diploma in painting and ceramics in
1993. 
Regarding the need of
ascertaining their skills, Mr. Yemane said that doing so is very essential. If
you are not interested in art and have no knowledge of it, they cannot produce
an attractive pottery in general and work of ceramics in particular, he stated.
The instroctor further called on humanitarian agencies to promote the
development of art as a whole and particularly ceramics.
