School year begins in war-weary Somalia

[Somalina]

by Abdurrahman Warsameh

 

MOGADISHU, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Schools in the Somali capital and throughout the Horn of African country have reopened as the new school year begins this week.

 

Students of primary and secondary schools are the lucky ones in a country seen as having one of the lowest primary school enrolment rates in the world.

 

The educational infrastructure has been destroyed during the two decades of civil conflict but some have been rebuilt particularly in cities and towns in Somalia.

 

Most of the schools that are operating can enroll the few students who can afford the sometimes prohibitively high tuition fees charged for primary and secondary education.

 

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says education and formal classroom learning opportunities are limited and unavailable for a majority of children in Somalia.

 

Since the educational system in the war ravaged country collapsed, there has not been much development in a unified national curriculum. Individual schools or groups of schools follow adopted curriculums from other countries, mostly Arab states and neighboring Kenya.

 

Schools use three languages namely the local Somali language, Arabic or English as a medium of instruction depending on the curriculum used.

 

In this particular school at the heart of the Somali capital Mogadishu students are taught in English.

 

Students at schools in Mogadishu have been daring general insecurity in the city to get education but as security is improving both teachers and students at this school are upbeat about the future of Somali education and the country at large. "This school is growing and students enrolment is increasing because of our highly qualified teachers who teach at this school. We are very confident that things will improve further in our educational system and in the country as a whole," Faisal Sheikh Abdulahi, Mamur Secondary School principle, told Xinhua.

 

Education is highly regarded among Somali society and families. Those who can afford to send their children to school do not hesitate to put all of their children both boys and girls alike to school.

 

But since the school fees and other costs are too high for most people, families send some of their children to receive education while others miss out.

 

Students say they are determined to come to school regularly despite the constant danger they have to face on a daily bases as flare-ups of violence can suddenly erupt as they come or leave school.

 

A number of students and teachers have been killed or injured when they went to or from school and were caught in crossfire or roadside or car bomb explosions that is a daily reality in Somalia, where radical Islamists are fighting against Somali government.

 

"It is very tough studying in a violent zone but we have to because we don't have other option but to study and improve our lives. I have decided to come to this school after I was advised to do so by my parents," Abshir Abdi Jama, a secondary student told Xinhua.

 

Schools in Somalia are trying to face the challenge of educating the country's young despite the seeming insurmountable hurdles to achieve the goals.

 

Somalia has been through almost two decades of civil conflict that destroyed much of the country's infrastructure including schools and universities.

 

Early this year, Somali government which is struggling against Islamist insurgency for the past three years managed to open the first state-run school in Mogadishu, a sign many say education is returning to the priority list of Somali government.

 

Editor: Fang Yang

[Baashi]

Shows how resilient Mogadishu is. Amid the violence folks still send their kids to school.

[Somalina]

September 14, 2011

 

Universities have began education year in famine and drought stricken Somalia. Girls and boys sit in different places while they have education in the same class. Education begins in the mornings, however it ends in the afternoon due to hot weather.

 

Universities are closed on Thursday and Friday for weekend holiday. Education lasts for four years in Somali universities which face teacher, education tools and devices problems. Mogadishu-based Horseed International University gives nursing, computer, economy and secretariat education. 200 students receive scholarship in the university that has a total of 460 students.

 

Charity organizations donate the scholarships. Courses are given in English, and students use photocopied books.

“We work on scientific studies and chat with our teachers in the university,” Mohammad Dagane Abdullu, the head of university student council, told AA correspondent.

 

Abdullu said they had launched initiatives to set up football and basketball teams in the university.

“We believe a new page will be opened as civil war ends in Somalia, and we hope we can spend some time on sports, culture, education and entertainment in our universities,” he said.

 

An executive of the university, Abdulfettah Omar said university could not provide sufficient education due to civil war. Omar said they could more easily give education as civil war lost effect, and they continued education despite all negative developments. “We believe Somalia will have a better future, and we need more educated people here and we can achieve this,” Omar also said.

 

Source: AA

[Somalina]

 

 

Dowladda FKMG ah ee Soomaaliya ayaa maanta ku dhawaad 100 arday oo Soomaaliyeed oo ku nool dalka Kenya ku wareejisay deeq waxbarasho oo dowladdu ay ka heshay dalalka caalamka qaarkood.

 

Danjiraha Soomaaliya u fadhiya waddanka Kenya Maxamed Cali Nuur A,meeriko iyo wakiil ka socday wasaaradda waxbarashada oo manta shir jaraa’id ku qabtay xarunta safaaradda ee magaalada Nairobi ayaa sheegay in 81 arday oo oo ku nool Nairobi kuna guuleystay imtixaankii ay dhawaan qaadday wasaaradda Waxbrashada, Hidaha iyo Tacliinta sare ay heleen waxbrasho ah dalka Suudaan.

 

Safiirka Soomaaliya ayaa sheegay in ardaydaan ay ku jiraan 31 arday oo ka yimid xeryaha qaxootiga ee dhadhaab, kuwaas oo dadaal dheer oo ay safaaraddu sameysay ku helay fursadadaan waxbarasho, wuxuuna sheegay damjiruhu in ay arrintaasi tahay mid dhiirri gelineysa Soomaalida ku qaxay dalkla dibaddiisa.

 

Maxamed Cali Nuur Ameerko ayaa sheegay in safaaraddu ay si bilaash ah ardayda qaxootiga ah ugu sameyn doonto Baasaboor iyo dhammaan Dokomintiyada ay ku safrayaan, maadaama aysan awood u lahayn in ay iska bixiyaan, wuxuuna sheegay in safaaraddu ay dowladda dhexe la kaashaneyso arrintaasi.

 

C/risaaq Maxamed Ducaale oo wasaaradda Waxbarashadu u wakiishay arrintaan ayaa tilmaamay in wasaaraddu ay 320 arday oo ku nool dalka gudihiisa iyo dibaddiisa ay u heshay deq waxbrasho oo dalka dibaddiisa ah, kuwaas oo bishaan dhexdeeda aadi doona dalalka Turkiga, Sudan, Jordan, Yemen iyo Pakistan.

 

Qaar ka mid ah ardayda oo ka hadlay halka shirka lagu qabtay ayaa walaac ka muujiyay haddii deeqda waxbarasho ay noqoto mid qabyo ah, oo ay dhacdo in ardayda ay iska bixiyaan Raashinka, Jiifka ama Daawada, hase yeeshee wakiilka wasaaradda Waxbarashada ayaa u sheegay in kaalmaha ay ardaydu kala galeen ay ku xirnaan doonto deeqaha ay helayaan.

 

Sadexdii sano ee la soo dhaafay wasaaradda waxbarashada Hidaha iyo Tacliinta Sare ayaa kumanaan arday ah oo ku noolaa gobollada dalka iyo dalalka deriska ah gugddoonsiisay Deeqo Waxbarasho oo ay dowladdu ka heshay qaar ka mid ah dalalka Caalamka, Imtixaano caddalad ku dhacay ayaana lagu xulay ardaydaas ku meel maray dhibcihii ay keensadeen, dalal kala duwana iminka duruus ku qaadanaya si bilaash ah.

 

Yusuf Sheik Isse- Nairobi- Kenya.

[Alpha Blondy]

all this new hyperbole of new TfG gaining momentum is nonsensical. education was never disrupted.