Europe gives UNICEF 4.5 million euros for education in Somalia

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Europe gives UNICEF 4.5 million euros for education in Somalia

Document Actions 31/01/2005

 

 

The European Commission (EC) has given the UN children's agency 4.5 million euros (5.9 million dollars) to promote education in the war-shattered Horn of Africa country of Somalia, officials said Monday.

United Nations Children Fund's (UNICEF) envoy to Somalia Jesper Morch said in a statement released here that the funds would be used to improve educational prospects in Somalia this year.

The grant is to be used for teacher training and rehabilitation of schools, including providing them with adequate water and sanitation facilities, said UNICEF's education officer for Somalia, Noel Ihebuzor.

Of about 1.4 million children who have reached school-enrolment in Somalia, only 285,574 managed to start classes last year, according to a 2003/2004 survey in the country's primary schools, the agency said.

Struggling to recover from 14 years of anarchy, Somalia has about 1,172 operational schools with 9,088 teachers, it said.

The nation of 10 million people plunged in a round of bloodletting in 1991, shortly after strongman Mohammed Siad Barre was toppled.

Subsequent fighting ruined infrastructure, with many schools converted into makeshift camps for fleeing population.

Since late 2004 when warlords and clan elders agreed on a parliament, appointed a president, prime minister and cabinet -- all based in Kenya because of insecurity in Mogadishu -- the European Commission has been the leading donor to the shattered country.

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Somalia`s "back to school" plan gets European backing

 

 

Nairobi, Kenya, 02/01 -

 

The European Commission has given a 4.5 million euro grant to support the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) educational initiatives in Somalia.

 

The UN agency`s Somalia Representative, Jesper Morch said in Nairobi Monday the funds will be used to promote pupil enrolment and ensure quality teaching and learning under the initiatives over a two year period from 2005.

 

Part of the money would be used in a major education enrolment campaign through UNICEF Somali dubbed "Every Child Counts Initiative," he said.

 

Community education committees that manage schools in most of Somalia would manage the project. The village committees will also be targeted under specific interventions to improve the management of schools under their supervision, UNICEF said.

 

Currently, only about 19.9% of school age Somali children are in school. According to the 2003/2004 survey, some 285,574 children were enrolled in primary schools. This was a 5.7% increase from the previous year. Out of these, only 35% were girls.

 

The latest survey indicates there were 9,088 teachers, out of whom only 1,210 (13%) were female with one teacher having an average of about 31 students per class.

 

There are 1,172 operational schools in Somalia. Since 1997 UNICEF, its partners and local authorities have been collecting data on primary education through annual school surveys partly funded by the EC.

 

"Without a central government for most of the last 14 years, the task of running schools has mostly fallen on community education committees established in 94% of the schools in Somalia," Morch said.

 

The UNICEF said it plans to use the EC grant to continue the in- service training of teachers, rehabilitate schools and quip them with adequate water and sanitation facilities, said Noel Ihebuzor, UNICEF Somalia Education Officer.

 

Ensuring the enrolment of 80,000 more Somali children in schools in the main objective, he added.

 

The girl child is specifically identified for special enrolment, retention, and quality learning in primary schools.

 

Previous support from the EC and other partners made it possible to develop curricula and materials for the primary schools.

 

UNICEF welcomed the renewal of EC support to the education sector in Somalia, which has since 2000 seen major improvements in access and quality.

 

AngolaPress

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SOMALIA: EC funds primary school projects

31 Jan 2005 14:51:10 GMT

 

Source: IRIN

 

NAIROBI, 31 January (IRIN) - The European Commission (EC) granted the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) €4.5 million (US $5.86 million) on Monday for education projects in Somalia, the agency and the EC said in a joint statement.

 

"UNICEF will use the funds to promote pupil enrollment and to ensure quality teaching and learning under initiatives spanning a two-year period from 2005," according to the statement.

 

Part of the money, they said, would be spent on a major education enrolment campaign through UNICEF Somalia's Every Child Counts Initiative.

 

Community education committees, which manage schools across most of Somalia, will also be targeted under specific interventions to ensure they are better able to manage schools under their supervision, they said.

 

"Currently," according to the statement, "only about 19.9 percent of Somali children are in school."

 

According to the 2003-2004 survey of primary schools in Somalia, 285,574 children were enrolled - a 5.7 percent increase from the previous year. Of those enrolled 35 percent are female.

 

The latest survey says there were 9,088 teachers, of whom 1,210 (13 percent) were female, with an average of one teacher per 31 students. There are 1,172 functioning schools in Somalia.

 

Somalia has had no functioning central government since 1991 and the task of running schools has mostly fallen on community education committees. UNICEF, in collaboration with local authorities, has trained and supported the committees.

 

"UNICEF intends to use the EC grant to continue the in-service training of teachers, rehabilitate schools and equip them with adequate water and sanitation facilities," Noel Ihebuzor, UNICEF education officer for Somalia, said.

 

"Training for local education authorities and ministries is also to be undertaken under this partnership," he added. "UNICEF will also use the funds to create community learning centres, where less privileged Somalis will be able to access primary education."

 

The new funding is expected to help 80,000 more Somali children go to school. A particular beneficiary group in this partnership project will be girls, who are specifically identified for special support in enrollment, retention and quality learning in primary school.

 

Most primary schools now use the new lower primary national curriculum developed by UN

[NASSIR]

EC and UNICEF join hands to support education in Somalia

 

Nairobi, 31 January 2005 - Education prospects for Somali children are to benefit from a European Commission grant of 4.5 million euros, UNICEF Somalia Representative, Jesper Morch, said today following the signing of an agreement between the two bodies.

UNICEF will use the funds to promote pupil enrolment and to ensure quality teaching and learning under initiatives spanning a two year period from 2005. Part of the funds will be used in a major education enrolment campaign through UNICEF Somalia's Every Child Counts Initiative. Community education committees which manage schools in most of Somalia will also be targeted under specific interventions to ensure they are better able to manage schools under their supervision.

 

Currently only about 19.9% per cent of Somali children are in school. According to the 2003/2004 Survey of Primary Schools in Somalia, 285,574 children were enrolled in primary schools. This was a 5.7% increase from the previous year. Of those enrolled only 35% are girls. As per the latest survey there were 9,088 teachers of whom only 1,210 (13%) were female with one teacher having about 31 students per class in average. There are 1,172 operational schools in Somalia. Since 1997 UNICEF, its partners and local authorities have been collecting data on primary education through annual school surveys, made possible in part by funding support from the EC.

 

Without a central government for most of the last 14 years, the task of running schools has mostly fallen on community education committees established in 94% of the schools in Somalia. UNICEF in collaboration with local authorities has trained and will under the new agreement, continue to support the committees.

 

"UNICEF intends to use the EC grant to continue the in-service training of teachers, rehabilitate schools and equip them with adequate water and sanitation facilities," said Noel Ihebuzor, UNICEF Somalia Education Officer. ''Training for local education authorities and ministries is also to be undertaken under this partnership. UNICEF will also use the funds to create community learning centers where less privileged Somalis will be able to access primary education."

 

The support's net effect will be to ensure 80,000 more Somali children go to school and thus acquire the necessary skills that will make them live healthier and happier lives. A particular beneficiary group in this partnership project is the girl child, who is specifically identified for special support in the areas of enrolment and retention and quality learning in primary school.

 

Most primary schools now use the new lower primary national curriculum developed by UNICEF, UNESCO and other partners. Previous support from the EC and other partners made it possible to develop curricula and materials for the primary school system. The present funding is further testimony of EC commitment to broadening access to quality basic education services for all and for girls in particular.

 

UNICEF welcomes this renewal of EC support to the education sector in Somalia which has since 2000 seen major improvements in access and quality.

 

For further information contact

 

1. Noel Ihebuzor, Education Officer, UNICEF Somalia. Email: nihebuzor@unicef.org. Tel: +254-20-623950/53/55/70. Mobile: +254-734-400-080.

 

2. Robert Kihara, Assistant Communication Officer, UNICEF Somalia. Email: rkihara@unicef.org. Tel: +254-20-623950/53/55/70. Mobile: +254-721-244-800.

 

 

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