| Education System in Somalia |
Education opportunities in Somalia are limited outside major urban areas and gender representation among both educators and students remains skewed. Schools are regularly semi-financed by parents too, and that makes it even harder for a poor child to enter the school system.
The 4 years of primary education feature 9 compulsory subjects taught in Somali. From grade 2, English is a second language subject.
A 4 year middle school phase follows. Subjects on the curriculum prescribed by the ministry of education include Somali, Islamic studies, English, maths, science, social studies, geography and history.
The final phase in Somali school education comprises 4 years too. A similar spread of academic subjects continues and there is no option of a vocational stream. It is as if poorer children in rural areas almost have no place in their school system.
In the non-formal education sector unemployed adults and young people may receive adult literacy and vocational skills training. The government effort is supplemented by international aid initiatives and commercial enterprise.
There are two forms of tertiary education. One is aimed at school dropouts and helps them to become useful employed citizens. The other is the traditional university model that is offered at several universities and polytechnics.
The leading institution is generally thought to be Amoud University in Borama shown here. There, 1,700 students who made it through an often-unfair school system have a choice of 9 faculties in which to study.
