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Education in Somalia refers to the academic system within Somalia. The Ministry of Education is officially responsible for education in Somalia, with about 15% of the nation's budget allocated to scholastic instruction. The breakaway republic of Somaliland maintains its own advanced Ministry of Education.[ citation needed ]
The school system in the colonial era before WW2 was limited mainly to primary schools (like the "Scuola Regina Elena" [1] ), but in the capital Mogadishu of "Italian Somalia" there was an important high school. [2] In this Lyceum was created in the early 1950s the "National Institute of Legal, Economic and Social Studies", [3] as a post-secondary school in Italian language for pre-university studies in order to access the Italian universities.
The Somali National University was the first high level education institution in the territory of Somalia. It was established in 1954 as L'Universita' Nazionale Somala during the Trust Territory of Somaliland. In 1969, the institution obtained official university status in newly independent Somalia. [4] The main university grounds were situated about six kilometers from the city center of Mogadishu. Here, during the institution's first thirty years, the main campus was known as Jaamacada Gaheyr ("Gaheyr University"). [5]
Following the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991, the task of running schools in Somalia was initially taken up by community education committees established in 94% of the local schools. [6] Numerous problems had arisen with regard to access to education in rural areas and along gender lines, quality of educational provisions, responsiveness of school curricula, educational standards and controls, management and planning capacity, and financing. To address these concerns, the Puntland government is in the process of developing an educational policy to guide the region's scholastic process as it embarks on the path of reconstruction and economic development. The latter includes a gender sensitive national education policy compliant with world standards, such as those outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). [7] Examples of this and other educational measures at work are the government's enactment of legislation aimed at securing the educational interests of girls, [8] promoting the growth of an Early Childhood Development (ECD) program designed to reach parents and care-givers in their homes as well as in the ECD centers for 0-5-year-old children, [9] and introducing incentive packages to encourage teachers to work in remote rural areas. [10]
Within the Puntland government, the Ministry of Education is responsible for developing and managing the region's educational needs. [11] It is headed by the Minister Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan, under whom a Vice Minister and Director General help oversee a Post-Primary Education Division (PPED) and a Basic Education Directorate (BED), among other boards. [12]
The educational system of Puntland comprises two years of Early Childhood Development (ECD), eight years of primary education (four years of lower primary and four years of upper primary) and four years of secondary education. University education comprises an average of four years. Thus, it is a 2-4-4-4 system. Puntland's Ministry of Education also recognizes non-formal and technical and vocational education as integral parts of the region's educational system. [13]
Early Childhood Development (ECD), as with primary education and non-formal education programs, falls within the category of basic education and entails the essential skills of literacy and numeracy upon which further learning is built. Qur'anic education also forms a component of ECD. ECD is offered to children in the 0-5 age bracket, with the focus on stimulating and developing the cognitive, affective and psycho-motor skills of the toddler and his/her holistic development. It also prepares children for school and facilitates the transition from home to primary school. [13]
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. [14]
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. [15]
Tertiary education in Somalia refers to education offered on completion of secondary education. Teacher education, for convenience, is grouped under this category. Tertiary education in the context of Puntland thus includes university education, instruction offered through diploma–level institutions such as community and teacher colleges. The Puntland region currently counts five major universities: Puntland State University in Garowe, Puntland State University in Galkayo, Bosaso College in Bosaso, Mogadishu University Puntland Branch in Bosaso, and East Africa University in Bosaso, Galkayo and Garowe. [16]
In the northwestern Somaliland region, tertiary academic instruction is provided by the University of Hargeisa, Admas University College, International Horn University and Somaliland University of Technology in Hargeisa, and Burao University in Burao.
In the Sanaag region, Maakhir University in Badhan offers undergraduate courses. Nugaal University in Las Anod also provides tertiary instruction to residents of Sool. In the Awdal province, Amoud University in Borama serves the local community. The East Africa University-Buuhoodle has been in operation since 2012 and gives undergraduate degree of four major faculties.
Universities offering higher education in southern Somalia include Indian Ocean University, Mogadishu University, Benadir University, Zamzam University of Science and Technology, the Somalia National University, SIMAD University, the University of Southern Somalia, Kismayo University, the University of Somalia and the University of Gedo. The Gedo region is also home to Bardera Polytechnic, the region's first polytechnic school.
Technical/Vocational education and training (TVET) is offered at both the post-primary and post-secondary levels. The objectives of technical/vocational instruction and training at both the post-primary and post-secondary levels are to provide training opportunities for school drop outs to enable them to be productive citizens and self-supporting, to provide technical/vocational education and training that is relevant to the industrial, commercial and economic needs of Puntland, and to reduce disparities through increased training opportunities for the handicapped and learners from disadvantaged communities, as well as women. [17]
The last tier of academic instruction offered in Somalia is non-formal education (NFE), which refers to a broad set of learning opportunities that are offered to out-of-school children, youth and adults. These include vocational skills training, adult literacy, community health education, and agricultural extension activities. [18]
Qur'anic schools (also known as duqsi) remain the basic system of traditional religious instruction in Somalia. They provide Islamic education for children, thereby filling a clear religious and social role in the country. Known as the most stable local, non-formal system of education providing basic religious and moral instruction, their strength rests on community support and their use of locally made and widely available teaching materials. The Qur'anic system, which teaches the greatest number of students relative to other educational sub-sectors, is often the only system accessible to Somalis in nomadic as compared to urban areas. A study from 1993 found, among other things, that about 40% of pupils in Qur'anic schools were girls. To address shortcomings in religious instruction, the Somali government on its own part also subsequently established the Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs, under which Qur'anic education is now regulated. [19]
In 2006, the autonomous Puntland region in the northeast was the second territory in Somalia after the Somaliland region to introduce free primary schools, with teachers now receiving their salaries from the Puntland administration. [20]
From 2005/2006 to 2006/2007, there was also a significant increase in the number of schools in Puntland, up 137 institutions from just one year prior. During the same period, the number of classes in the region increased by 504, with 762 more teachers also offering their services. Total student enrollment increased by 27% over the previous year, with girls lagging only slightly behind boys in attendance in most regions. The highest class enrollment was observed in the northernmost Bari region, and the lowest was observed in the under-populated Ayn region. The distribution of classrooms was almost evenly split between urban and rural areas, with marginally more pupils attending and instructors teaching classes in urban areas. [21]
Higher education in Somalia is now largely private. Several universities in the country, including Mogadishu University, have been scored among the 100 best universities in Africa, which has been hailed as a triumph for grass-roots initiatives. [22] The table below shows the level of education completed by surveyed residents of Puntland and Somaliland in 2013. [23]
| Level of Education | Puntland | Somaliland | Urban | Rural | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illiterate | 28% | 13% | 35% | 51% | 42% |
| Madrasssa/Koranic school | 36% | 41% | 24% | 29% | 26% |
| Primary school completed | 22% | 30% | 21% | 15% | 18% |
| Vocational school | 4% | 1% | 4% | 1% | 3% |
| Secondary school completion | 7% | 12% | 11% | 4% | 8% |
| Tertiary education or higher | 2% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 3% |
Transport in Somalia refers to the transportation networks and modes of transport in effect in Somalia. They include highways, airports and seaports, in addition to various forms of public and private vehicular, maritime and aerial transportation.
Puntland, officially the Puntland State of Somalia, is a Federal Member State in northeastern Somalia. The capital city is the city of Garoowe in the Nugal region, and its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland had a population of 4,334,633 in 2016. Geographically to the west, Puntland lays claim to the intra-46th meridian territories that were outside European colonial rule during parts of the Scramble for Africa period.
Somali National University (SNU) is a national university in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Its campus grounds were located four kilometers from the Mogadishu International Airport. It was established in 1971, but was "officially" founded in 1954. It closed in 1990. After closing down for a number of years, the university reopened in August 2014.
Bosaso, historically known as Bender Cassim is a city in the northeastern Bari province (gobol) of Somalia. It is the seat of the Bosaso District. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, the municipality serves as the region's commercial capital and is a major seaport within the autonomous Puntland state.
Galkayo is the third-largest city in Somalia which serves as the capital of the north-central Mudug region. The city is divided into two administrative areas separated by a loose boundary.
Garowe is the capital city of Puntland located in northeastern Somalia. It serves as the administrative center of the Nugal region and is known for its strategic importance. The city has experienced growth and development, hosting government institutions and providing essential services to its residents. Garowe is situated in a territory with a semi-arid climate, and its economy is influenced by trade, livestock, and agriculture.
Qardho, also known as Gardo, is a city in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia, a district within the autonomous state of Puntland.
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was internationally recognized as a provisional government of the Somalia from 14 October 2004 until 20 August 2012, when its tenure officially ended and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) was inaugurated.
Between the fall of Siad Barre's government in January 1991 and the establishment of the Transitional National Government in 2006, there was no central government in Somalia. Large areas of the country such as Puntland and Galmudug were internationally unrecognized and administered as autonomous regions of Somalia, while forces in the northwest declared the Republic of Somaliland. The remaining areas, including the capital Mogadishu, were divided into smaller territories ruled by competing faction leaders. During this period, Somalia has been cited as a real-world example of a stateless society and a country with no formal legal system.
The following is an index of Somalia-related articles.
Eyl also called Illig, is a historic port town in the northeastern Nugal region of Somalia. It currently serves as the capital of Eyl District. It was also the capital of the Dervish in 1905 until it was superseded by Taleh in 1909.
Iskushuban is a small town in the northeastern Bari province of Somalia on the Horn of Africa. A historical settlement, it is situated in the autonomous Puntland state. It lies along the 50th meridian east.
Mogadishu University is an accredited non-state university in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Bargal is a town in the northeastern Bari region of Puntland, Somalia.
Hingalol or Hingalool is a district located in the Sanaag region of Puntland.
East Africa University (EAU) is a non-for-profit institution university in the autonomous Puntland state in northeastern Somalia, as well as in neighbouring Somaliland. Founded in the commercial capital of Bosaso, it has additional branches in Buhodle, Galdogob, Galkayo, Garowe, Qardho and Erigavo. The college offers courses in seven core departments including: Medicine, engineering, veterinary, Business Admin, Sharia studies, It also operates distance learning center.
Agriculture in Somalia is a major employment activity and is the largest economic sector in the country. It contributes more than 65% to the national GDP from domestic distribution and exports to other parts of the continent, the Middle East and Europe.
Healthcare in Somalia is largely in the private sector. It is regulated by the Ministry of Health of the Federal Government of Somalia. In March 2013, the central authorities launched the Health Sector Strategic Plans (HSSPs), a new national health system that aims to provide universal basic healthcare to all citizens by 2016. Somalia has the highest prevalence of mental illness in the world, according to the World Health organization. Some polls have ranked Somalis as the happiest people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Education in Somaliland is provided in public and private schools. Education is Somaliland is managed by Ministry of Education and Science which controls the development and administration of state schools, it's also has an advisory and supervisory role in private schools.
The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Somaliland The Ministry of Education and Science of Somaliland is a national executive authority responsible for the state policy development and normative and legal regulation in the sphere of education, research, scientific, technological and innovation activities, nanotechnology, intellectual property, as well as in the sphere of nurturing, social support and social protection of students and pupils of educational institutions. The work of the Ministry of Education and Science of Somaliland is governed by the Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland, National Education Act, National Constitutional Laws, and Decrees by the President of the Republic of Somaliland. The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Somaliland worked in cooperation with other national executive bodies, executive bodies of the subjects of the Republic of Somaliland, local authorities, public associations and other institutions. The current minister is Ahmed Mohamed Diriye.
