Executive Summary

Education is one of the most important determinants for an individual’s productivity and future success, and is also one of the key drivers of economic development. The overarching objectives of this assessment are to review the current state of the education sector in Somalia, ascertain the key challenges it is facing and suggest strategic interventions based on evidence drawn from rigorous qualitative findings.

The report begins with a discussion of the history and current context of education in Somalia, covering the period from the pre-colonial era to the aftermath of the prolonged civil war. Somalia has experienced five distinct education transformations: the advent of Islamic education; the introduction of missionary schools in the colonial period; and educational reform in the years after it achieved independence; the era of state collapse; and the revival period marked by intensive interventions from private educationists.

The second part of this report addresses issues related to access to basic education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). In 2017, the gross enrolment rate in primary education was approximately 32.7 percent, meaning that roughly 67 percent of the country’s school-age population were out of school. The gross enrolment rate in secondary education was even lower at 18.4 percent. A relatively small number of students (13,071) are currently enrolled in TVET programs. As far as tertiary education is concerned, there is limited rigorous data on the enrolment rate. However, the current structure of the higher education system is not adequately geared towards meeting the current labor market demands of the productive sectors of the economy.

Against this backdrop, this report relies on a comprehensive qualitative approach (including key informant interviews and focus group discussions) to investigate constraints on the education sector and to develop actionable strategic interventions. This report finds significant challenges facing the sector, including the following:

● Barriers to educational access remain very high, especially affecting certain socio-economically disadvantaged groups and individuals, remote geographical areas and women.

● The country’s education system continues to be of poor quality. There are a lack of qualified teachers, poor training for teachers, no unified curriculum with economic and civic relevance, poor education infrastructure and meager supplies of instructional materials and textbooks.

● A lack of responsiveness to the productive sectors’ labor market needs. Factors in this include a failure to prioritize early childhood education, a limited focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and a shortage of skills relevant to productive sectors such as agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

● The current education system is hampered by insecurity and political instability, as well as limited policy and regulatory mechanisms. Somalia’s poor enabling environment has important implications for the development of its education sector.

This report concludes by suggesting a set of strategies to support education sector development. Each strategy includes a list of strategic interventions and activities to respond to the constraints highlighted above, including the following:

● Implementing an immediate five-year national literacy campaign to increase citizens’ literacy and numeracy skills

● Implementing a national campaign to urgently increase access to education for Somali children

● Establishing new primary and secondary schools and rehabilitating existing ones

● Improving and ensuring equity in education for vulnerable and underserved populations (including women, internally displaced persons and people with disabilities)

● Developing and financing new primary, intermediate and secondary education systems to replace the unacceptably substandard systems that have been normalized and accepted

● Establishing well-planned and high-quality tertiary education systems geared towards employment creation, the labor needs of the productive sectors and the need to spur economic growth in Somalia

● Developing TVET as a national priority to promote employment and productivity

● Implementing an education system based on patriotism, values, the common good and students’ rights and responsibilities

● Developing and implementing a unified national qualification framework that recognizes overall knowledge and skills acquisition qualifications

● Harmonizing education stakeholders to unite their strengths, efforts and resources to develop the education system

● Creating stakeholder awareness about the importance of gathering reliable data and research to improve and develop the education system

● Allocating sufficient national budgetary and financial resources to implement overall strategic priorities for education.