Early January of this year, Director of Planning in Somaliland’s Ministry of Education, Mr Abdi Abdillahi Mohamed, announced that school enrollment was at it’s highest in Somaliland and that literacy rate has moved from 20 percent to 45 percent since departing from Somalia in 1991. Education was often neglected and limited in Somaliland under Somalia’s totalitarian regime led by General Mohamed Siad Bare.
In 1991, every thing was destroyed in the country including 90% of schools and Somaliland then had only two universities one of them bombed to the ground. By the time Siad Bare’s regime was defeated and peace was restored, there were only 1,019 students enrolled in schools and zero number of students were in universities.
In 2008, some 225,853 students were enrolled or went to primary schools in the country, while 21,331 others attended secondary school.
As of 2009, about 26,156 students were in adult education including universities while some 6,820 students also attended technical colleges and professional schools according to Mr Mohamed.
Mohamed added by 2015 they plan to increase literacy in Somaliland by 75 per cent and have introduce a mobile school initiative that follows “the pastoralists wherever they go.”
Since declaring independence from the rest of Somalia, Somaliland has built hundreds of schools, both private and public and there are constructions in major towns for more schools. This includes the almost finished Abaarso Tech which is expected to formally open it’s doors for the first class some time in February of this year.
Abaarso Tech, which is expected to cost more than $2-million by the time it’s fully completed plans to educate Somaliland’s “talents and elite” by “bringing international talents to Somaliland”. The dormitories at Abaarso Tech is expected house at least 300 students per year.
Please visit Abaarso Tech website, as they require more donations to complete the rest of the dormitories (student housing units).
Above image: Abaarso Tech under construction, September 2009, a symbol of new Somaliland.
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Somalilandpress, 25 January 2010
Education is the economic engine for both the individual and the government. When more educated people graduates, the governments normally create jobs so that in return the government collects more tax to management the government budget.
Gobaad my sister that is true in the case of a government that has accountability, which the Somaliland government currently does not have. For my younger brother's/sisters remember this "Knowledge is Power".
It is amazing what Somaliland has achieved in 20 years, without international recognition, and with minimal support from the international community. Thanks to the people of Somaliland, some stalwart NGO's and the Somaliland government.
I wonder where all the billions spent on Somalia have gone?.
It's good news and more than any thing we need to focus on education, we are well on our way, education will set us free and we will reach new heights. Education will enable us to explore and reach out to new markets and players. We no longer have to beg for recognition, they will come to us.
Somaliland does not need US recognition nor EU nor Arab League, we need education. Lets put our energy and time behind education and stop running after these so called international community leaders.
those school are way better then wht we have here in america