The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of Civics and Ethical Education in building ethical behavior of students; to examine the achievement and the challenges behind the curriculum and its implementation and also, to make feasible recommendations based on the results. The study was conducted in the six government secondary schools found at Bole Sub-city, Addis Ababa. To efficiently undertake the research, mixed methods research design was employed and sampling techniques; cluster sampling and purposive sampling were employed to collect data from a total of 799 students, 25 teachers, five principals and four key informants. Data collection was carried out using instruments; questionnaire, quiz, interview and observation checklist and then, analyzed quantitatively; using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation and qualitatively using content analysis technique. The major findings of the research showed that: first, students though they consider Ethics as something important to be learned, they have difficulties in understanding the fundamental meaning, purpose, benefit and its application in life. Second, teachers manifest incompetence in the necessary skill and attitude required by the course and in addition, both the school administration and the educators neither think of themselves as ethical role models and act accordingly nor take the initiation to shape their students behavior ethically. Third, it was realized that Civics and Ethical Education is nowhere near to be considered as the educator of ethics. The content comprehension of morality is close to be called nominal for it to make actual contribution in the moral development of students. Therefore, it was concluded that the objectives that were preset in the policy are not achieved and itâ€™s recommended that there is a need for a major curriculum reform in the content and mode of delivery of the course in order to make Civics and Ethical Education the source of ethics and morality to the young. Last but not list, the effect of ethical education in individualsâ€™ personal and professional life in the case of Ethiopia and strategies in incorporating ethical education as one of the subjects in Ethiopian schools, were recommended as focal areas for further study.