The Sheko largely speak a language within the Omotic family, and have had patrilineally inherited chief positions known as "kaibab." Some individuals practice a degree of agriculture, notably transplanting yams in more remote areas, while adopting sorghum and other crops in more centrally located regions. Concerning education, 15.88% of the population were considered literate; 9.91% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school; 2.36% of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school, and 0.73% of the inhabitants aged 15–18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions, about 73% of the urban and 10% of the total had toilet facilities.