Tuesday June 19, 2018
Somalia marked the International Day of the African Child with a commitment to work closely with development partners to ensure access to quality education for its youthful population.
Hassan Mohamed Ali, the Director General of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education, said children in Somalia have a right to education like their counterparts in other African countries, adding that the government will work tirelessly to ensure its population is well educated.
“We hope this new curriculum will make a positive input into the education of the Somali children. The curriculum will be adopted for use in schools across the country, whether they are private schools or public schools,” said Mr. Ali, referring to the recently launched education curriculum for primary schools.
The new curriculum is expected to be implemented in the new academic year, which commences in August.
Mr. Ali, who spoke at an event held in Mogadishu, on Monday, described education as the cornerstone for Somalia’s development, urging ministries and government institutions to work together to improve schooling after decades of conflict.
Fartun Abdisalam, the Executive Director of Elman Peace Centre, who also attended the event, advocated for the provision of free education for Somalia’s children, saying the move would be a solution to the long-drawn conflict in the country.
“As we join the rest of the world to celebrate this day, let us know that the future of this nation will depend on what we invest in our children. We need free education,” said Ms. Abdisalam.
Her sentiments were echoed by Abdikafi Mahamud Makaran, the chairperson of Benadir Youth in Mogadishu, who stressed the need to provide opportunities for youths to help accelerate the country’s development.
“As Benadir Regional Administration, we target to lower the levels of youth unemployment in the capital city. We have put in a lot of efforts in ensuring that the youth can be self-reliant,” Mr. Makaran observed.
He noted that Benadir Regional Administration has so far managed to create job opportunities for 3,000 youths, as part of the government’s initiative to address the challenges faced by young people in Somalia.
In Jubbaland, the celebrations were held in Kismayo and attended by guests who included ministers, members of Jubbaland state assembly, school children and members of the civil society.
Speaking at the function, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamud, the Jubbaland Education Minister, urged parents to provide proper care to their children and protect them from exploitation by unscrupulous individuals.
“I am delighted to see children converge here to talk about their history and to know their situation because children hold a lot of promise and if they are well raised properly, they will build the future and dignity of this country.”
Mohamed Mohamud Hassan, one of the children who participated in the celebrations, urged the leaders in Somalia to advocate for the rights of children to access quality education.
“Children should not be recruited as soldiers but should be in school. Parents should also encourage their children to learn,” said Mohamed.
The International Day of the African Child is marked every year on June 16. This year’s theme is ‘leave no child behind for Africa’s development’ and is aimed at creating awareness on the importance of protecting the rights of children and ensuring both boys and girls have equal opportunities.