SIMAD UNIVERSITY

‫جــامــعـــة ســـيــمــد‬

Action Plan Report

(Education in Somalia)
Group C
Hafsa Mohamed
Su’di Yasin Said

Research Paper submitted as part of the

All Skills Project for the English Skills Program (Mastery Level)

Mogadishu,June, 2021

Course Name: ESP10-EV

Instructor (s): Bashir Ali Kadhala

1
 i. DEDICATION
This study is wholeheartedly dedicated to our bloved parents, whohave been our
source of inspiration and gave us strength when we thought of giving up ,who
continually provide thier moral ,spriitual, emotional. And financial support.

And lastly , we dedicated this book to AllaH , thank you for the guidance strengh
, power of mind protection and skills and fore giving us a healthy life. All of these
offer to you.

2
ii. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, We have to thank my ASP supervisors, Mr Bashir Kadhala. Without his
assistance and dedicated involvement in every step throughout the process, this ASP would have
never been accomplished. I would like to thank you very much for your support and understanding.
Our time at SIMAD University has been highly productive and working with Mr Bashir was an
extraordinary experience. And We will also thank to our class mates who supported us in several
ways during this time.

Most importantly, none of this could have happened without our families. My Husband, my mom
and grandmother, who offered their encouragement every day at the time and despite my own
limited devotion to correspondence. To my parents and my sister it would be an understatement to
say that, as a family, we have experienced some ups and downs in the past time of my education.
Every time I was ready to quit, you did not let us and we forever grateful. This dissertation stands
as a testament to your unconditional love and encouragement.

Contents
i. DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................ 2

3
ii. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT....................................................................................................................... 3
1.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 5
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 6
3.0 BACKGROUND OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN SOMALIA ....................................................... 8
3.1. PRE-COLONIAL AND COLONIAL EDUCATION ......................................................................... 8
3.2. POST-INDEPENDENCE EDUCATION ............................................................................................ 9
3.3. EDUCATION POST-1991.................................................................................................................11
4.0 CURRENT STATE OF EDUCATION SECTOR ..................................................................................13
4.1 GROWTH PATTERNS ......................................................................................................................13
4.2 NUMBER OF STUDENTS ................................................................................................................13
4.3 NUMBER OF LECTURERS ..............................................................................................................14
4.4 QUALIFICATION OF LECTURERS ................................................................................................14
4.5 FACULTY NUMBERS AND TYPES ...............................................................................................15
4.6 DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS ACROSS FACULTIES ..............................................................15
4.7 FACILITIES ........................................................................................................................................16
4.8 RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION ...................................................................................................16
5.0 PRIMARY EDUCATION IN SOMALIA ..............................................................................................17
6.0. SECONDARY EDUCATION ...............................................................................................................17
7.0 IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN HORN OF AFRICA .................................................................17
8.0 ENROLMENT IN FORMAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND ALTERNATIVE BASIC EDUCATION19
9.0 EFFECT OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR ON SOCIETY ..................................................................19
9.1. SOMALIA: DISTANCE LEARNING OFFERS A BRIDGE TO EDUCATION CONTINUITY ...21
10.0 CHALLENGES OF EDUCATION IN SOMALIA ..............................................................................22
10.1 WEAK GOVERNANCE AND ENABLING ENVIRONMENT .....................................................22
10.2 EDUCATION IN SOMALIA BY THE NUMBERS ......................................................................22
9.0 CONCLUSIONS .....................................................................................................................................24
10.0 SOLUTION AND RECOMMENDATION ..........................................................................................25
10.1 IMPROVE ACCESS .........................................................................................................................25
10.2 ENHANCE LEARNING AND SKILLS ..........................................................................................25
10.3 WORK IN EMERGENCIES.............................................................................................................25
10.4 BRINGING EDUCATION TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST ....................................................26
10.5 HOW DOES EDUCATION AFFECT POVERTY? IT CAN HELP END IT. ................................26
Reference ......................................................................................................................................................27

4
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Education in Somalia has been badly affected by two decades of conflict, with very few children going
to school and few prospects of employment for those who complete any stage of education. Somalia
is characterized by one of the lowest enrolment rates of primary education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to UNICEF Somalia Cluster reports, South Central Somalia has a GER of 42% with
47% boys and 37% girls. The girls’ primary school completion rate stands at 66% in Somaliland
and 75% in Puntland (excluding repeaters and dropouts). Within the teaching force, the gender gap
is even more distinct. In Somaliland, only 16% of the teachers are female, while in Puntland the
number of female teacher’s stands at 3% (Puntland/Somaliland School Census Report 2011/12).
There is an enormous variation of teaching staff distribution between rural areas where classes are
small and urban areas where classes are often huge and overcrowded. Moreover, quality of teaching
is questionable with Somaliland having 51% of the teachers having some sort of qualification, while
48% are certified out of which 49% of the teachers are still unqualified. In Puntland, 98% of
teachers have some sort of qualification, while only 15% are certified.

In response to the education challenges in Somalia, the Accelerated Primary Education Support
(APES) Program in Somalia was designed. The European Community co-funded project was
implemented over three years by a consortium comprising Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC-
Europe) as the lead in partnership, Save the Children Denmark (SCD) and CONCERN Worldwide.
The Ministries of Education (MoEs) and umbrella organizations were the local counterparts.
Although the expansion of the higher education sector is evident throughout the country, there
remains a lack of detailed information on the activities of HEIs. This baseline study provides a
snapshot of HEIs in Somalia while analyzing the current state of the sector by providing the results
of a survey conducted between February to June 2013 with 44 HEIs in South-Central, Puntland,
and Somaliland.

We also observe consistent gains across various other types of programs: mother tongue instruction
seems to provide consistent learning gains across programs, eliminating school fees offers
consistent gains in access, and school feeding offers consistent gains in access and learning. There
are relatively few school constructions studies, but they also tend to yield gains in both access and
learning. Similarly, eliminating school fees has inconsistent impacts on the quality of education.

5
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
Educational researchers, theorists, and planners who study higher education in Somalia have had
varied responses to the tremendous growth of student enrollments in LEDC contexts. As stated
earlier, SSA still lags behind most regions of the world in higher education enrollments, but that
doesn’t mean there hasn’t been tremendous growth. In this ASP, focus is placed on the massification
of higher education internationally with a particular emphasis on ‘quality’ discussions and ‘world
class’ university literature. These are important foundations for understanding the economic, social,
and political responses driving further expansion of higher education as well as for scholars who
are critical of change to the basic tenets of academic freedom and learning that have been
institutionalized in the academic profession (Heritage, 2013)

Other topics closely related to the transition from elite to mass higher education internationally are
diversification of university types and the rise of ranking systems, thus these topics are also
considered in this section. After reviewing literature on quality in higher education, external forces
that surround the professoriate and higher education are considered. In general, scholars tend to
think of growth and transition from two distinct camps. The first has its roots in economic theory.
Traditionally, this group favored primary education investment to higher education, but recently
has turned to a more balanced educational planning approach that supports all levels of learning.
Then, the second camp of scholars is critical of ‘market’ driven change in the academic profession.
They see massification as an opportunity for politicians and administrators to usurp the traditional
values of academia through accountability, managerialism, and marketization. In SSA, this second
group of 16 scholars sees the potential for the hegemonic relationship between external funder’s
policies and regulations (i.e. World Bank, United States Agency International Development,
European Union, etc.) and a country’s higher education policies to affect the positive organizational
development in LEDCs’ higher education systems (Holland, Holland, 2010) Collins and Rhodes,
2010).

The ways external funders or international educational policies affect higher education in a specific
local context are complicated. Holland (2010) gives us an example of how conceptualize the mixing
of international and local forces on a higher education system in his historical analysis and
ethnographic study of institutional formation in Malawi. From a diverse body of Malawian sources
(teachers, students, administrators, local and international documents, NGOs, etc.) he sought to
argue “that shifts in local and transnational political systems as well as in the prominent features of
the ascendant imported model can create and be experienced as “waves” of institutionalization” (p.
6
201). The “waves” experienced in Malawi due to the close political relationship with Britain and
the US was first a colonial influence, then post-colonially, an expanding American influence, then
the rise of neoliberalism coinciding with the Reagan and Thatcher administrations, and finally a
rise in Higher education support due to recent World Bank publications in conjunction with
discourse around ‘knowledge economies’ which are discussed later in this chapter. He observed
that the policies and institutional traditions of these two “allies” (US and UK) had significant
ramifications for the Higher education system of Malawi.

Due to the lack of sufficient investment resources, Malawi was dependent on foreign aid and
expertise to initiate and sustain their system. Holland’s data shows: 17 that institutional models
do…travel across national boundaries from core to periphery countries, promoting conformity with
institutional forms found in rich and powerful nations, rather than a uniform and unidirectional
progression tied to a global culture of modernity, there can be multiple institutional waves with
different origins and conflicting organizational scripts that can intermingle in confusing and
contradictory ways in a single setting over time. (p. 218).

Holland found that British values and American values in higher education systems were not totally
synonymous. Nor were the changing policies in regard to foreign aid and value for higher education
therein. Thus, as literature on international higher education is considered, there is reason to believe
that in a context like HOA, there will be a complex mix of local and international policies and social
trends affecting the institutions in which faculty participate and the work that they do. For faculty
in this region, institutionalization of work practices and identity in international contexts is almost
guaranteed since there are limited masters or doctoral level studies in HOA universities (Teferra &
Altbach, 2003). For example, in a country like Djibouti, one hundred percent of teachers and
researchers have received their masters and doctoral degrees abroad. Limited financial resources, a
shortage of learning materials, and insufficient basic infrastructure ranked high among the
challenges facing HEIs. Most of the surveyed institutions reported that the lack of sufficient
financial resources placed significant constraints on their operational capabilities. Other challenges
reported by the majority of institutions, in order of importance were: a shortage of learning
materials, insufficient basic infrastructure, limited capacity of administrative staff, a shortage of
teaching equipment, a shortage of qualified academic staff, and a lack of university-owned
buildings.

7
3.0 BACKGROUND OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN SOMALIA
3.1. PRE-COLONIAL AND COLONIAL EDUCATION
The spread of Islam and the Arabic language, together with the exposure of Somali traders, seamen,
soldiers, and religious pilgrims to different forms of education, meant that small settled
communities on the coast were introduced to a mixture of western and Islamic education long before
the arrival of European colonizers in Somalia (Cassanelli and Farah, 2007). However, for the
majority of Somalis leading nomadic livelihoods, education continued to be an informal community
affair involving the interaction between elders and youth on subjects covering clan history, religion,
battle, and other knowledge and skills essential for survival (Abdi, 1998; Hussein, 2007).
Introducing formal education in Somalia was a challenge for the colonial powers; the British in the
northwest and the Italians in the south.

First, the nomadic pastoral livelihoods of the majority of Somali people (over 90% of the population
at the time) severely restricted the spread of formal education (Cassanelli and Farah, 2007). Second,
the common perception that colonial education was spreading Christianity invoked fears that
educated Somali children would be converted. This caused anxiety among the population and
frequently led to conflict (Dawson, 1964). Nevertheless, in the early to mid-twentieth century some
progress was made in establishing education infrastructure, particularly during the immediate years
prior to independence in 1960.

The authorities of the British Protectorate of Somaliland intensified their efforts in 1957, a trend
that was evident in the increase of education spending from £500 in 1939 to £340,000 in 1957
(Cassanelli and Farah, 2007). In the south, the ten years of the Italian Trusteeship Administration
(Amministrazione Fiduciaria Italiana della Somalia, AFIS) saw significant progress in the
expansion of education infrastructure, including for higher education. However, at the time of
independence, apart from the few post-secondary school institutions set up by AFIS in the former
Italian colony, the higher education sector in the rest of the country was non-existence. In the
absence of regulation by governing authorities in all three regions and the low capacity of teaching
staff, the quality of education has suffered considerably. An alarming 86% of surveyed HEIs
complained about low capacity of teaching and administrative staff. This is likely to impact the
quality of education students are receiving, and the qualification and competence of graduates
entering the public and private sector in Somalia.

8
3.2. POST-INDEPENDENCE EDUCATION
Improving education was a priority in the years following independence and the subsequent creation
of the Somali Republic in July 1960. A perception of what education could do for the individual
and for society is captured in the popular nationalist song composed shortly after independence by
the Somali poet, Abdullahi Qarshe, with verses such as Aqoon la’aani wa iftiin la’aane (lack of
knowledge is lack of enlightenment) (Abdi, 1998). Progress however was slow. The inability of the
new government to reform and expand the education system could be attributed to various
challenges. Integrating two education systems developed by very different colonial powers, Britain
and Italy, with different languages of instruction, syllabuses, and management styles, was a
daunting task. Finding effective strategies to provide education to the large proportion of the
population leading a nomadic pastoral lifestyle also proved to be extremely difficult. The military
coup led by General Mohamed Siyad Barre in 1969 marked the beginning of a period of significant
progress in the provision of education in the country.

9
The military regime introduced a number of revolutionary social and economic programmes under
the banner of ‘scientific socialism’ – a mixture of Marxist-Leninist socialism and Islamic principles.
One of these programmes was the mass literacy campaign launched in 1974 which mobilized a
large number of students and civil servants to teach in rural nomadic communities and increased
the literacy rate in Somalia from a dismal 5% to approximately 55% (Abdi, 1998). The adoption of
the Latin alphabet as the official script in Somalia in 1973, though controversial, paved the way for
a more cohesive education system in the country. Progress was made in 1970 when the Somali
National University was established in Mogadishu with dedicated faculties for journalism,
education, and medicine among others (Hoehne, 2010).

Very little progress was however made in the provision of the higher education in the rest of the
country. The promising start made by the military regime in the education sector was eclipsed by
the 5 The State of the Higher Education Sector in Somalia costly war with Ethiopia in 1977 when
the Barre regime ultimately failed to take control of the Somali-dominated region. The economic
crisis and the internal conflicts that followed saw a reversal of the earlier progress made across all
levels of the education sector. Widespread nepotism and mismanagement of public resources
followed characterizing most of the 1980s (Abdi, 1998). Within the education sector, enrolment
rates at all levels of education deteriorated. A 1991 UNESCO report stated that gross enrolment
rates for 4-23 year-olds dropped from 14% in 1980 to just 7% in 1988 (cited in Abdi, 1998). Internal
conflict eventually escalated to civi l war in 1988 and total state collapse in 1991. 3.3 Education
post-1991.

10
3.3. EDUCATION POST-1991
The civil war and the subsequent collapse of the Somali state completely destroyed the education
infrastructure of the country. Nevertheless, significant progress has since been made in the
reconstruction of education infrastructure throughout South-Central, Puntland, and Somaliland. The
prolonged period of instability in South-Central hampered reconstruction but it did not stop the
efforts of various actors in rebuilding the sector in certain locations. Local communities, Islamic
NGOs, and the Somali diaspora have been vital in the rehabilitation of HEIs. Furthermore,
education umbrella organizations such as the Formal Private Education Network in Somalia
(FPENS) have been key to the reconstruction and management of the primary and secondary
education sectors (TFG Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education, 2011).

By 2010 a dozen universities funded and maintained by diaspora and/or Islamic organizations were
operational in Mogadishu (Hoehne, 2010). The relatively longer periods of peace and stability that
have characterized Somaliland, and to a lesser extent Puntland, created an easier environment to
initiate reconstruction efforts to that of South-Central. The progress in Somaliland is particularly
substantial and the number of education institutions across all levels has increased significantly. In
1999 there were 144 primary schools and five secondary schools in Somaliland. By 2010 this
number had risen to 917 primary schools and 84 secondary schools (Somaliland Ministry of
National Planning, 2011). The number of students enrolled at these levels of education has also
increased. The introduction of free primary education in 2011 encouraged an additional 12%
increase in grade one enrolments. However, the lack of capacity meant schools could not cope with
this increase and many children had to be placed on waiting lists.

The growth of lower levels of education has fuelled the increase in demand for levels of education.
In response, the education sector grew rapidly in the last decade. In Somaliland, 23 institutions were
functioning in January 2013, a significant increase from the two institutions that existed in 2004. In
South-Central, a 2011 report by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education stated
that 15 universities were operational across the region. Since then, the number of HEIs increased
exponentially. Consequently, the number of students in universities, the number of faculties, and
the number of university graduates has also increased. Local authorities have played, and continue
to play, a limited role in the operations of the higher education sector. The majority of the
universities are owned, funded, managed, and maintained by a diverse range of actors – the private
sector, the diaspora, the local community, local and international NGOs, and religious organizations
– with limited oversight from the national or local authorities. One consequence of this laissez-faire

11
trajectory is that across the country there is a lack of a regulatory framework to manage standards
of the ever increasing number of universities. This has a direct impact on the quality of higher
education across Somalia. As a result, many of the graduating students lack the basic skills and
education necessary to enter the labour market. The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies 6 Chapter
4: Current state of the higher education sector.

12
4.0 CURRENT STATE OF EDUCATION SECTOR
4.1 GROWTH PATTERNS
Data collected from the survey suggests that the most substantial growth of the Somali higher
education sector occurred in the last decade. Of the 44 surveyed universities, 34 were established
between 2004 and 2012. This growth pattern slowed down between 2006 and 2010 and then picked-
up again between 2010 and 2012. Only one university was established between 2005 and 2009 in
South-Central, reflecting increased insecurities following the Ethiopian invasion and the fall of the
Union of Islamic Courts. Meanwhile, growth in Somaliland and Puntland continued until 2011. Of
the six institutions established in 2012, five are based in South-Central, the highest number of new
HEIs in any given year for the region.

Given the fact that only one university existed in the country prior to the collapse of the state in
1991, growth patterns across South-Central, Puntland, and Somaliland in the last two decades have
been remarkable. This finding could be interpreted in two ways. First, it is possible that growth
merely corresponds with the significant growth of the education sector that has been experienced
throughout sub-Saharan Africa in the last two decades (Hussein, 2012; Varghese, 2007). Second,
the absence of a strong central government in Somalia and the limited capacity of regional
authorities have naturally led to the privatization of social services including education (Bradbury,
2007). Consequently, the growth in the private provision of education sector may have changed the
view of education from a public good to a tradable commodity and thus encouraged more private
players into the education market.

4.2 NUMBER OF STUDENTS

Universities were asked to provide the total number of students enrolled at the time of the interview.
The total number of students across all 44 universities as of June 2013 was estimated at 51,471.
The highest number of these students are enrolled in universities in South-Central (25,147),
followed by Somaliland (18,223), and then Puntland (8,101). Graph 1: Distribution of students by
region. The number of students attending universities varies greatly. Approximately 56% of all
students are enrolled at just eight universities: Mogadishu University (10.2%), University of
Hargeisa (7.8%), University of Somalia (7.6%), Amoud University (7.6%), SIMAD University
(6.1%), Gollis University (5.4%), East Africa University (5.2%), and Plasma University for Science
& Technology (5.2%). Institutions with the lowest number of students are Salaam University and

13
Darul Hikmah University both established in 2012 in South-Central and reported to have just 100
students each. Universities were asked to provide the number of students enrolled in post-graduate
courses. Of the 44 institutions surveyed, only six universities currently offer post-graduate courses
(Amoud University in Somaliland, Mogadishu University, SIMAD University, University of
Somalia and Hope University in South-Central, and Mogadishu University - Bosaso Campus in
Puntland). The total number of students registered in post-graduate courses across all six institutions
is currently 918 – approximately 1.2% of the overall student body. One shortcoming of the study is
that data is not disaggregated by gender and therefore neither the total number nor proportion of
women in universities across South-Central, Puntland, and Somaliland can be reported. The data
also does not capture drop-out rates.

4.3 NUMBER OF LECTURERS

Each surveyed university was asked to provide a total number of lecturers teaching at the institution
at the time of data collection. The current total number of lecturers across all Somali universities is
currently 2501 making the overall student-lecturer ratio approximately 21:1.The number of
lecturers across the universities varies. Moreover, since the number of lecturers in not disaggregated
by faculty, student-lecturer ratio is not a good indicator of students experience in different faculties.

4.4 QUALIFICATION OF LECTURERS

Institutions were also asked to provide the level of qualification of their lecturers. Of the reported
2,501 lecturers 39% were reported to have Bachelors degrees, 50% were reported to have Masters
degrees, and the remaining 11% were reported to have PhDs. There is no apparent correlation

14
between the size of the institution and the number of lecturers holding PhDs. For example, Benadir
University, which ranks 9th in terms of student numbers, has the second highest number of lecturers
with PhDs (45) compared to Mogadishu University, which is the largest university but has 46
lecturers with PhDs.

4.5 FACULTY NUMBERS AND TYPES

Institutions were asked to provide the number and types of operational faculties. The reported
numbers of faculties varied greatly, ranging from one faculty at Garowe Teacher Education College
to 15 at Amoud University. 68% of the surveyed institutions reported to offer computer-related
courses, 59% offered Social Science courses, 56% offer law/Sharia courses, 55% offered business
administration courses, and 48% offer variants of public health and health studies courses.

4.6 DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS ACROSS FACULTIES

Given that 68% of all surveyed universities offer computer-related degrees, it is no surprise that
15% of all students registered in universities across South-Central, Puntland, and Somaliland are
registered in computer-related fields. Approximately 30% are registered in variants of Social
Sciences and Business Administration. Public Health and Law (Sharia) are the other popular
faculties with approximately 14% and 13% of overall students respectively.

Of the reported 51,471 students, approximately 44% are enrolled in computer-related courses, and
variants of business administration and social sciences courses. The implication here is that upon
graduation these students will enter the labour market with similar skills which may reduce their
ability to secure employment. This concentration in particular subjects may act as a bottle-neck in
the economy due to the lack of a diverse range of skills – especially skills relevant to the structure
of the Somali economy (i.e. skills related to the livestock sector, construction, or engineering).

Noticeable regional differences emerge in the concentration of students across different faculties
(see appendix 2). For example, 81% of students registered in public health, health studies and
sciences are located in South-Central whilst 79% of students registered in engineering and 74% of
students registered in agriculture and other botanical sciences are located in Somaliland. The
regional differences possibly reflect the emerging specialization across institutions. Specialization
marks a positive evolution of the sector and will help diversify the qualifications and employment
opportunities of graduates.

15
4.7 FACILITIES
Institutions were asked to describe key facilities available for students and lecturers such as libraries
(including the number of books), computer laboratories with printing facilities, and science
laboratories. The findings suggest that many of the surveyed institutions are operating without
adequate libraries; of the surveyed 44 institutions only 28 confirmed they had a library with the
number of books ranging from 300 to 50,000. In addition, two institutions reported to have e-
libraries and one institution reported to have online subscriptions to academic journals.

32 of 44 universities reported to have at least one computer laboratory with printing facilities. This
finding was cross-checked with institutions that reported to deliver computer-related faculties and
found that of the 30 institutions offering computer-related subjects, 24 have computer laboratories.
This finding raises questions concerning the quality of such courses. Similarly, of the 10 institutions
offering variants of engineering courses, only four have science laboratories. Of the 14 universities
offering medicine and other medical sciences degrees, only eight have science laboratories on their
campus. However, it is worth noting that some universities offering medical courses have
affiliations with local hospitals and thus use the hospital laboratories for student practical sessions.

4.8 RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION

The research and publication capacity of universities across Somalia is unsurprisingly low. 15 of
the 44 universities suggested that they contribute to at least one academic publication with the
majority of the reported publications are in social science related fields. No university reported
being engaged in research activities. As publication and research are often considered a key
indicator of institutional and academic capacity, it was checked whether there is an association
between the number of academics holding PhDs in the institutions and the reported research and
publication capacity. The data suggests that there is no apparent correlation. For example, Benadir
University, one of the universities in the sample with highest number of academics holding PhDs
(45) has one academic publication, whilst Gollis University, with only 8 academics with PhDs has
five academic publications. Mogadishu University with 46 academics with PhDs has no academic
publications.

16
5.0 PRIMARY EDUCATION IN SOMALIA
The Hammar Jab Jab School in Mogadishu. Primary education features nine compulsory subjects:
Arabic, Islamic studies, Somali, mathematics (including business education), science (health,
environmental education, and agriculture), social studies (including history, geography and civics),
English, physical education and arts and crafts. Lower and upper primary students are taught for 36
and 42 lesson periods, each lasting 35 and 40 minutes, respectively, per week. The language of
instruction is Somali in subjects other than Arabic and Islam; English is taught as a subject from
Grades 2 to 8.

6.0. SECONDARY EDUCATION

Secondary school education is offered for four years to pupils between the ages of 15-18, and leads
to a Puntland Secondary School Certificate Examination (PSCE). Ten subjects are taught in
secondary schools, namely: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, Somali, Arabic, Islamic
studies, English, physical education, geography and history. All subjects, with the exception of
physical education, are compulsory. English is the language of instruction in secondary schools,
except in the Somali, Arabic, and Islamic courses. Each school week is composed of 40 periods of
45 minutes each.

7.0 IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN HORN OF AFRICA

Education in Horn Africa cannot be over-emphasized as it is undoubtedly the most important factor
to consider if Horn Africa has to develop and advance as a continent. However, most children in
some parts of Horn Africa still do not have access to education at all.

“More than 150 million children ages 3 to 5 do not have access to pre-primary education, including
more than 80% of children in low-income countries”(source: GEM Report: Education for people

17
and planet: creating sustainable futures for all (2016),p.428). It is also a fact that “more than half of
children who have not enrolled in school live in Sub-Saharan Africa” (source: Education).

It can be seen that education is essential in achieving economic growth, stability and social inclusion
since it grants families from very poor backgrounds the opportunity to make life better for
themselves through education. Countries where there are high literacy rates prosper more than
countries with very low literacy rates. This is because the world is in a technological and innovation
stage where the bulk of the workforce must be literates and computer adaptive. (Richmond, 2019)

The problem of lack of education is gradually waning in Africa as more people are getting enrolled
in schools, particularly females. Nevertheless, access to education does not automatically result in
quality of education and educational relevance. One of the many challenges we face with education
in Africa is the lack of educational relevance to the needs of our society. Our education is not
tailored to solve the problems that we face in our society. Little has been done to revise the
educational structure and curriculum that our ancestors used in their days. We are still copying the
western style of education which is relevant to them but of little use to us in Africa. (Richmond,
2019)

18
8.0 ENROLMENT IN FORMAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND
ALTERNATIVE BASIC EDUCATION
(ABE) learning centres (supported by the Action) increased. Expand and improve school
infrastructure Formulate and implement sustained national campaigns towards enrolment of
children. Provide social protection support to marginalised and hard-to-reach children.

Result 1: Quality of teaching and learning in formal schools and Alternative Basic Education (ABE)
centres (supported by the Action) improved. Improve quality and relevance of curriculum and
availability of curriculum support materials. Promote inclusive, protective and gender responsive
practices at school and community levels. Support action research to strengthen education policy
formulation, articulation and implementation.

Result 2: Management of formal and non-formal/ABE at central, regional and local levels
strengthened Implement EMIS at school/centre, regional and central levels. Conduct systematic
periodic monitoring and support supervision of schools/centres. Implement systematic periodic
review of subsector plans.

9.0 EFFECT OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR ON SOCIETY

Recent achievements in support of improved learning outcomes include the development of the first
unified curriculum and the implementation of a standardized exam system.The lack of reliable data
on children’s learning outcomes presents a major challenge to assessing the effectiveness of
education at primary school level. The ESP seeks to address this gap through the introduction of
early grade assessments and low-stakes assessments for monitoring learning outcomes. It also aims
to strengthen and unify the examination system across Somalia. Also, student started work together
and understand more on each other. Even they started to have group discussion which make them
so close and understand much better than before (Mohamed, 2010). Although the expansion of the
higher education sector is evident throughout the country, there remains a lack of detailed
information on the activities .

19
20
9.1. SOMALIA: DISTANCE LEARNING OFFERS A BRIDGE TO EDUCATION
CONTINUITY
The sudden school closures in Somalia left many children worrying about the continuity of their
education during the pandemic. Read how GPE with its partner Save the Children is helping
children stay on course with their learning while at home. The student was helped their parents
access the online portal at home, proving the key role parents play in supporting their children’s
learning. To complement the lessons from the portal, they also followed classes with the help of a
textbook and by listening to recorded lessons from their parents’ phone and other equipment’s. This
students need only internet and smart phone, computer, Tablet or any other which can facilitate the
study of the children.

21
10.0 CHALLENGES OF EDUCATION IN SOMALIA
understanding of the political economy of the education system. Some of the responses and
discussions were at a general level, with respondents and workshop participants at times struggling
to go beyond broad problem statements such as ‘lack of resources’ or ‘limited skills’. The logic of
PDIA (i.e. starting from problems, discussing at a general level the space for change) were new to
most respondents and also to colleagues from the SIDRA. The main problem facing the education
system that emerged from the workshops in Somalia is as follows:

The weak capabilities of the education and research sector limit thecontribution research and
knowledge can make to the social and economic development of Somalia. This section is organised
along the contributory problems that were identified during the in-country workshops:

10.1 WEAK GOVERNANCE AND ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

Three decades of conflict, the extended absence of government authority and the loss of human
capital have eroded governance of the education system considerably. The absence of and/or low
capacity to design and enforce legislation, regulations and policies have led to a boom in private
universities. But the quality of the courses they offer varies greatly as standards are not set or
authorities face challenges in enforcing them. Respondents from government and universities
(eight) pointed to a lack of government market analysis to determine what professions are and will
be in demand in the labour market, and the policies to support teaching in those areas. Currently,
universities offer marketable degrees in business.

10.2 EDUCATION IN SOMALIA BY THE NUMBERS

For many children in Somalia, going to school and receiving a good education is still a dream out
of their reach. More than three million children in Somalia are out of school.In many areas across
the country, parents are not able to fund their children’s education. In addition to poverty, long
distances to school, safety concerns, social norms favouring boys’ education, and lack of teachers,
particularly female teachers, and the low availability of sanitation facilities, stop parents from
enrolling children, particularly girls, in school. More than three million children in Somalia are out
of school. When children make it to school, they are rarely able to benefit from it fully. Classrooms
are often overcrowded, water and sanitation facilities are inadequate, and trained teachers and
school books are hard to come by. The poor quality of education is reflected in students’ results.
Children living with disabilities face even more challenges and adolescent girls are seldom able to
complete secondary education. Children in nomadic pastoralist communities are constantly on the

22
move and often denied their rights for an education. The ongoing conflict and natural disasters also
continue to displace children and families, making it very difficult for them to continue schooling.
Upholding the right to education promotes normalcy and can give hope for the future, not only for
children but also their families and communities.

Somalia has one of the lowest primary school enrollment rates in the world. Just 30% of all school-
age children have access to learning opportunities, with over 3 million children remaining out of
school. Those in South and Central Somalia are affected the worst. Among rural and IDP children
the situation is even worse, with only 17% enrolled in primary schools — mostly in NGO-run
temporary learning centers. This situation was aggravated by the extreme droughts in 2016 and
2017, as well as the continuing conflict in many locations.

Since November 2016, approximately 366,000 school-aged children (or almost half of all IDP
children) have been displaced, with dire consequences for education. In other words, given overall
enrollment figures and the limited access that IDP children do have to education, almost 50,000
children who would otherwise have been enrolled lost their opportunity to attend school between
November 2016 and August 2017. Historically, many displaced children and returnees have access
to educational opportunities in temporary learning centers run largely by non-governmental
organizations, but repeated displacements since 2016 have significantly increased dropout rates.

23
9.0 CONCLUSIONS
Somalia is experiencing one of the longest protracted situations of conflict, instability and
environmental risk and since the early 2000’s has consistently been ranked among the most fragile
states by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).1 Currently the
country is experiencing a drought that affects the learning and security of hundreds of thousands of
children the effects of which will continue through 2017 and into 2018. The total population of
Somalia stands at some 10.8 million, of which 5.8 million are under the age of 18 years (or 53
percent) Of these, some 1.8 million are under 5 years of age (or 18.2 per cent) and 2.6 million are
adolescents between the ages of 10 to 19 years (or 24 per cent). Socially excluded groups face the
greatest inequities and obstacles to living in safe and resilient communities. More than one quarter
of Somalia’s population is made up of purely pastoral communities, with a larger proportion falling
into nomadic or semi-pastoralist categories (roughly 40 per cent), the majority of which live in rural
and difficult to access areas where poverty is highest. There also remain significant pockets of urban
poor in larger towns and cities as rural communities and IDPs migrate in seek of jobs and better
opportunities.

The assumptions underpinning the education strategy from 2018-2020 includes that sufficient
mitigation measures are in place to manage anticipated risks related to domestic financing,
economic and political factors following national elections, and risks of conflict in Central South
regions of Somalia increasing or destability other areas of Somalia. It is further assumed that the
capacity of education ministries to manage delivery of education services will be strengthened
sufficiently, that education ministries carry forward governance reforms to improve the transparent
utilization of funds, and increasing donor assistance to the education sector will be forthcoming
as/if Somalia stability post-2017. The achievement of education program results will also be
supported by strengthening synergies, as much as possible, with cross-cutting programming areas
of child protection and WASH, with a strong focus on advocacy and demonstrating results through
the use of innovative technologies. Programming approaches are also underpinned by a strong
understanding of the linkages between development programming and humanitarian action to
ensure sustainable progress toward SDGs related to education, equity, peace and security, and
partnerships is achieved in the next country program and are directly aligned to government sector
plans being final under UNICEF managed GPE-processes.

24
10.0 SOLUTION AND RECOMMENDATION
Quality education equips children to succeed in life, providing them with lifeskills to take care of
themselves, and fulfill their potential. UNICEF is dedicated to ensuring that all girls and boys in
Somalia can enjoy their right to a quality education, from early learning opportunities all the way
through secondary school. To achieve this, UNICEF Somalia works closely with the Government
of Somalia to.

10.1 IMPROVE ACCESS

This means ensuring that more girls and boys, including the most disadvantaged children, have an
opportunity to attend and learn in school. UNICEF works with local authorities and partners to
provide children from nomadic and pastoralist and other out-of-school children an opportunity to
go to school. With local authorities and partners, we seek to implement approaches which consider
the way of life of targeted communities. This means applying an adaptable calendar and timetables,
providing temporary learning spaces along migration routes, mobile libraries, and complementary
interactive audio instruction. It also includes delivering a specific curriculum for basic education in
a fast-tracked format through a flexible timetable. We also help to mobilize communities to
prioritise the education of children, particularly girls, and be fully engaged in their children’s
education.

10.2 ENHANCE LEARNING AND SKILLS

Quality learning requires a safe environment, and qualified and motivated teachers. It also entails
that learning outcomes are monitored and feed back into teaching. In Somalia, we, together with
partners, support the government in building a strong education system. We also promote
innovative solutions to improve quality of education and learning. As part of the work, we help to
strengthen the capacity of teachers, provide high quality teaching and learning materials; and
develop key learning and teaching policies, curriculum and learning assessments.

10.3 WORK IN EMERGENCIES

This entails making sure that children in emergencies and on the move are protected and have
opportunities to access education either for the first time or to continue learning. We continue to
support the Ministries of Education to take ownership over Education-in-Emergencies
programming and integrating displaced communities as part of their education service delivery
wherever possible. We also support capacity development of the education authorities at all levels
as well as school communities and children to mitigate risks, build resilience to shocks and respond

25
to and support the recovery of crisis-affected children, while also addressing the underlying chronic
vulnerabilities.

10.4 BRINGING EDUCATION TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST

Concern is working to improve education in Somalia as part of the European Union-funded Durable
Solutions Project. In the South West State of Baidoa, we’ve partnered with the Ministry of
Education (MOE) to provide lasting solutions to the problems faced by many IDPs. This includes
the limited access to water and sanitation, hygiene, health services, and education. In order to ensure
our solutions are sustainable, we’ve helped establish public schools. This is in partnership with key
stakeholders, especially communities and the MOE. Concern has also recruited and trained teachers
and established Community Education Committees to ensure quality education.

10.5 HOW DOES EDUCATION AFFECT POVERTY? IT CAN HELP END IT.
Access to high-quality primary education and supporting child well-being is a globally-recognized
solution to the cycle of poverty. This is, in part, because it also addresses many of the other issues
can keep communities vulnerable. Like a tree, poverty has many roots. But among the many causes
of global poverty, one factor stands out: education. Not every person without an education is living
in extreme poverty. But most of those living in extreme poverty do lack a basic education. Those
living below the poverty line will also be more likely to keep their children out of school, which
means that their children will also have a greater chance of living in poverty. Education is often
referred to as the great equalizer: It can open the door to jobs, resources, and skills that a family
needs to not just survive, but thrive. Access to high-quality primary education and supporting child
well-being is a globally-recognized solution to the cycle of poverty. This is, in part, because it also
addresses many of the other issues can keep communities vulnerable. Let’s look at 3 ways education
is the secret ingredient to ending extreme poverty. A quality education system supports a child’s
developing social, emotional, cognitive and communication skills. Education programs also support
the development of knowledge and abilities (i.e., human assets). Children who receive quality
primary education are more likely to develop these assets at a higher level. They can then use these
abilities and skills to earn higher incomes or further develop other basic assets

26
Reference

Dawson, G. G. (1964). Education in Somalia. Comparative Education Review, 8(2), 199-

214.

Samatar, A. I. (1994). The Somali challenge: From catastrophe to renewal? London:

Lynne Rienner.

Technopolis Group (2018) Mid-term review of the Norwegian Programme for Capacity
Development

in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED). Brighton: Technopolis

Group

Tierney, W. (2011) ‘The role of tertiary education in fixing failed states: globalization and
public

goods’ Journal of Peace Education 8(2): 127–142

Dawson, G. G. (1964). Education in Somalia. Comparative Education Review, 8(2), 199-

214.

Samatar, A. I. (1994). The Somali challenge: From catastrophe to renewal? London: Lynne
Rienner.

Heritage, I. (2013). 10. Mogadishu: the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies.

Hoehne, M. (2010). Diasporic Engagement in the Educational Sector in Post-conflict Somaliland.

Somaliland: University of Jyväskylä.

Holland. (Holland, 2010). Development higher education in Africa. Egpty.

Mohamed. (2010). EFFECT OF THE STATE OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR ON SOCIETY IN

SOMALIA. (M. U. STUDENT, Interviewer)

Richmond, S. (2019, January 17). Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-importance-

of-education-in-Africa

27