   
 
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Planning
for the Future:
Researching
Educational Interventions in Nugaal, Somalia
A
Pilot Study
Executive Summary for Somali Family Services
A
collaborative project by:
Jeanne d’Arc Gomis
&
Molly McCoy
Under the
supervision of Professor Gerald Fry and in collaboration with Somali Family Services, Minneapolis, MN
Introduction
The Somali Family
Services (SFS) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. The
organization’s mission is to promote Somali culture and support all
Somali families and people through access to resources and opportunities.
It seeks to facilitate greater community awareness about and for the
Somali community. The main objective of the SFS is twofold.
First, it provides support to the Somali community in Minnesota
through education, health and employment, as well as services such as
translation, transportation and other resources.
Additionally, the organization seeks to extend its intervention
into the region of Nugaal, Somalia by supporting education, health and
employment.
This research
paper is undertaken in the framework of a series of research studies in
order to gather information about Somali education structures.
This study provides Somali Family Services with the necessary basic
information so that they may begin the process of designing and
implementing programs that will support public education initiatives in
Nugaal. The purpose of this
paper is to investigate the current situation of education in Somalia and
identify the major problems the country is facing in terms of education.
In response to the information gathered and their findings, the
paper proposes a series of possible initiatives for SFS to plan its
contribution to the improvement of the quality of education in Somali and
most specifically in the region of Nugaal. This paper is targeting the
region of Nugaal because it is where the SFS would like to begin their
educational interventions.
Research
Methodology
In addition to the
literature review that provides a background to this study, other methods
of data collection were employed in order to gain a better understanding
of the current picture of education in Nugaal.
The data collected from this research consisted of six interviews
with Somalis, statistics for enrollment in Nugaal schools, and responses
to emailed surveys. Two
interviews were conducted with Somalis living in Minnesota who have
experience with education in Somalia.
The remaining interviews were conducted over the phone with people
currently living in Nugaal. These interviews were given by people from a variety of
backgrounds and professions, such as an instructor from Puntland Community
College, a member of the business community, the representatives of the
Puntland government, and the representatives from KAALO Development
Organization based in Nugaal.
The responses from
these interviews were the largest source of information regarding the
current status of education in Nugaal and provided a better understanding
of some of the challenges facing public schools.
Enrollment statistics provided clarification from the interview
results regarding teaching conditions and the total number of public
schools in Nugaal. Finally,
the emailed surveys were sent to Somali education specialists who work in
organizational or academic settings for educational programming.
These methods provided a strong base for this research project, but
it is clear that this is still a limited study.
In order to better assess the current education system and plan for
outside educational programming, it will be necessary to conduct further
research in Nugaal.
Current Situation of Education in Somalia
It
is very challenging to examine education in Nugaal without giving an
introduction of the country of Somalia, its historical and political
background from which the present situation in education is derived.
Somalia
or Somali Democratic Republic is 627,340 square kilometers wide. It is
located in East Africa bordering the Gulf of Aden the north, the Indian
Ocean on the east and south, by Kenya on the south-west, and by Ethiopia
on the west. The country is divided into 18 regions that tend to be
clustered into zones or politico-geographical areas. The northwest zone,
known as the “Somaliland” contains five regions, the northeast zone
with two regions, the central zone with two regions and finally the south
zones under constant conflict consisting of a total of nine regions[1]
(Bennaars, Seif, & Mwangi, 1996, p.7). According to the same document,
the population of Somalia is about 7,500.000 inhabitants and its origin
can be traced back from the Sab (from the southern part of the country)
and the Samala (groups mostly situated in the northern part of the
country). “Somalia before the civil war had a population growing at the
rate of about six percent. About half the population consisted of nomadic
pastoralists whose livestock production was the mainstay of the economy,
accounting for some 40 percent of the GDP and 75 percent of export,”
(Gonzalo & Devadoss, 1994, part I).
The majority of the population is Muslim and they share one
language; the Somali language. Somali
was the official language under the government prior to 1991. It is
understood by 95 % of the population but Arabic, English and Italian are
also used.
Education
in Somalia
Unlike
many African nations, post-colonial education in Somalia showed a
promising picture. Somali
education in this period was primarily conducted in Italian and English,
the colonial languages. Under the ruling of the military leadership,
several changes were brought in the education system. One major
educational initiative was the introduction and implementation of Latin
script for the writing of Somali languages in 1972 (Abdi, 1998, p.333).
“They also issued a decree to the effect that Somali was to be the
language of political and administrative discourse in the Somali
Republic” (Warsame, 2001. 334). Quoting Laitin & Samatar, 1987, Abdi
points that the writing of the Somali language accompanied by intensive
government-sponsored literacy campaigns in rural areas considerably
increased the rate of literacy from 5% to approximately 55% in the mid
1970s.
Since
the ability to write and speak a language is an indicator of educational
achievement, then Somalia, after independence, presented a national
educational system that was productive and promising.
Among other achievement, one can list the expansion of the Somali
National University (SNU), the printing of new material in Somali
language, the adaptation of the new language script for technical and
scientific studies (Abdi, 1998, p.334) and the introduction of compulsory
primary education to all Somali children between 6 to 14 years in 1975 (Warsame,
2001, 339). To accompany compulsory free education as Warsame puts it, the
government adopted a “practically oriented curriculum” focusing on the
provision of practical and relevant skills for a productive and meaningful
life for both the individual and society as a whole.
However,
when the military rule was toppled in 1991, the state was left with no
central government. As a result of the state tumbled down and during the
on-going civil war, the educational system collapsed and most schools
closed, including the Somali National University in Mogadishu, which had
an enrollment of about 4,600 prior to the war (atlas. freegk.com, p. 4).
“One
of the factors that probably had the highest impact on the collapse and
impedes rehabilitation is the serious damage suffered by the educational
infrastructure of the county as school buildings have been completely or
partially destroyed; roofs, windows, furniture and the fittings have been
looted. The school buildings that are partially or completely preserved
are occupied by displace persons or clan militia. All educational records
of the country have been destroyed,” (Gonzalo & Devadoss, 1994,
p.3).
Abdi’s
description of the school gives a better picture of the disaster of
learning facilities. He says “…the deliberate destruction of schools,
university lecture halls, libraries and laboratories, sometimes
complemented by the targeting of the educated cadres among the warring
factions, may sadly remind one of the different, albeit less promising,
historical epochs,” (1998, p.336).
In 1996 primary schools enrolled only 8 percent of school-aged
children, and general secondary schools enrolled a mere 5 percent (atlas.
freegk.com, p. 4). Amidst
this grim picture of education in Somalia, there is still a glimpse of
hope as schools are slowly reopening. In 2004, the literacy rate in
Somalia is 30%. A few
state-run schools have gradually been reopening in the north and south
where the Nugaal region is located.
Nugaal
As
mentioned earlier, the objective of this paper is to provide
recommendation to the Somali Family Service based on the identification of
educational needs in the Nugaal region. Nugaal is in the state of
Puntland, in the northeastern zone of Somalia. The region consists of four
districts; Garowe, Burtinle, Eil and Dangoroyo. Although the overall
picture of post war education in Somalia is gloomy, the region of Nugaal
presents a brighter picture even though a lot needs to be done. Nugaal is
located in a zone that stands out to be more peaceful than any other part
of Somalia in recent years. In contrast to the regions in the northeast
zone where the lack of an authority is a major constraint to the provision
of education, Nugaal is a part of the state of Puntland, a newly-formed
sovereign state government that has recently established a ministry of
education. (Bennaars, et al. 1996, p.19). All levels combined there are
presently thirty-two educational institutions or schools in Nugaal. Garowe
has 16 schools, Burtinle 7 schools, Eil 7, and finally Dangoroyo has 5
schools (Puntland State of Somalia Ministry of Education Nugaal Region
Education Office).
Yet
the local government is not in position to meet the needs of the
population in education, such as the damages caused by the war, Bennaars.
Seif. and Mwangi argue that there is now a shortage of operational schools
and classrooms, with the fully functioning schools operating beyond their
capacity. In addition, Nugaal is one the most populated regions in Somalia
as a consequence of what Abdulgafar H. Mahamud Abdulle called an
“unprecedented mass movements of people from the south to the north
seeking safety for themselves and their property among their own kith and
kin” (www.wsp-international .org/scne/-04.htm, p.9). Not only the
provision of education can pose problems for the local administration,
Somalis in general have limited access to education unless they come from
wealthy families, who can pay for private school education (learning in
Somalia. www.Settlement.org/cp/english/somalia/learning.html,
p.1). At this point the general overview of Somalia and Nugaal, shows that
the crisis in education is in fact related to a general crisis in the
political, social and economic structure of the country (Gonzalo &
Devadoss, 1994, part I). Another important aspect of education crisis
cause by the war is related to teachers.
“The
most important indicator of the crisis on the system was the fact that
Somalia had by 1987 one of the highest teacher attrition rates in the
world. While the pre-service enrollment of teachers in 1981 stood at
3,376, it was down to 613 in 1984. Over 24,000 primary school teachers
were trained between 1965 and 1981, but of this number only 8,122 were in
service by 1984, which represents an attrition rate of 66% (or 12% per
year),” (Gonzalo & Devadoss, 1994. part I).
According
to the same source, in addition, teacher salaries hardly increased since
1970, while by 1987, consumer prices increased 34 times. In addition, “teacher’s salaries are amongst the lowest
in Somalia; most teachers have been forced to hold down extra jobs. Partly
as a result, the school year lasts only 6 months,” (Gonzalo et al, part
I). The finding of our research relating to teacher preparation and
support are further explained in the following part by the analysis of
data from interviews and correspondences.
Data
Analysis and Findings
From collecting
interview data and survey responses, we have identified some common themes
that help to formulate an understanding of the current state of education
in Nugaal. With this picture
of education, it is then possible to identify areas in need of reform in
Nugaal education. From that,
we will examine the priorities of the communities and families that may be
affected by the intervention and include these priorities in the overall
assessment for Somali Family Services.
According to the data analysis, there are three primary themes that
define the major challenges to primary and secondary education.
These themes include a lack of language policy, a need for greater
teacher support through salaries and training, and the demand for more
access to books and materials. The
issue of language of instruction is the biggest challenge to the Somali
Family Services plan for intervention, primarily because there is
currently no implemented language policy in Nugaal.
Language also is a common link between other important issues
regarding educational planning, and therefore this issue is given the
greatest attention in the study. Each
theme has its own complexities that have developed from subsequent
transformations in the government structure, societal structures, and
family structures that resulted from the civil war and the dismantling of
the Somali central government. Therefore, these challenges are deeply
interwoven into the fabric of Somali society and culture and will require
further research and analysis before an intervention can be identified and
implemented.
Language
of Instruction: A Closer Look
From the interview data, it is clear that the most complex issue
that is facing Nugaal public schools is language of instruction.
Schools do not enforce a unified policy of language of instruction,
and there appears to be major differences between public and private
schools with regards to language policy.
This is due in part to the fact that there is no outlined language
policy under the current educational system, making it challenging to
NGO’s and outside organizations to implement programs.
Much of this is due to the lack of a centralized government in
Somalia that could support a policy.
In the past, under the military regime of Siad Barre, the
educational system had become more centralized and standardized in
addition to requiring the language of instruction be conducted in Somali.
But since 1991 and the end of a central government, schools have
struggled to keep even basic education afloat.
Additionally, the fragmenting of states and regions in Somalia has
allowed for greater decentralization and non-conformity of curriculum.
Naturally, the issue of language of instruction faces a lack of
unified support and therefore different practices in each school, in
addition to a divide between public and private schools.
According to the interviewees, private schools tend to focus more
on English language acquisition. Often
students supplement their public school education by attending night
schools that improve their English language ability.
Moreover, public schools that focus on the core curriculum of
subjects still often teach in English.
The interview results differed from each participant regarding the
nature of language of instruction in the primary schools, but the
consensus showed that by high school, the language of instruction in
Nugaal is English. This
raises an important question of how and why high school students have come
to be educated in English when the policy prior to 1991 was to teach in
Somali. There are several
theories that have emerged from this research as to why education has
shifted to an English-language medium.
First, there is the role of NGO’s, foreign aid, and other
international organizations that have played an influential role in the
development of schools since 1991. Second,
with a growing Somali diaspora living as refugees in the US and UK, it is
likely families in Somalia are influenced from the outside on the demand
for foreign language education. Finally,
because there are limited options in the higher education system in
Somalia, students are expected to seek scholarships to attend universities
in English-oriented universities in Kenya, India and Sudan, and therefore
must exhibit fluency in the language before becoming eligible for
scholarships. These three
forces must be better understood in order to appreciate the complexity of
language policy and reform in Nugaal schools.
First, the involvement of NGO’s and international organizations
in Nugaal public schools appears to be a cornerstone in the funding and
administration of education. All
of the interviewees explained that books, teaching materials and teacher
salaries were in part provided by outside organizations, primarily UNESCO
in the primary schools and Oxford University and other British aid
organizations in the high schools. One
government official working for the State of Puntland explained that the
secondary schools were run by British organizations that provided them
with teacher training, English textbooks, and infrastructure support.
Because this British intervention has not been specifically studied
for this project, it is strongly recommended that it be researched and
analyzed prior to any project implementation by Somali Family Services in
Nugaal. This particular involvement could heavily impact the future
of educational policy in Nugaal and it is important to discover the
details of this work, its goals and its projects.
Next, we call into question to issue of the Somali diaspora in the
US and other parts of the world and how it affects language policies in
schools. During the two
interviews that were conducted with Somalis living in Minneapolis, both
stressed the importance of English as the medium of instruction.
One respondent explained that he feels he would have benefited more
from an education in English at an early age than from his study in the
Somali language. Another respondent and parent of children still living in
Somalia felt that English should have a strong role in education for his
daughter. We are thus forced
to question why there is an opinion to support English language
initiatives in Nugaal. After
further discussion with interviewees, we found that most likely that these
people believe that it is a reasonable goal to seek a livelihood outside
of Somalia, and that education should support students by equipping them
to be successful globally. Respondents expressed concern for the types of skills Somali
students need for success, and they were confident that English language
is essential. This has
further implications for how Somalia will be affected by the brain drain
and exportation of their future intellectuals and labor force.
Furthermore, these types of perceptions from members of the Somali
diaspora can heavily influence the opinions of Somalis in Nugaal.
If English language-based education in Nugaal becomes a priority,
it is important to consider how this can impact other elements of Somali
society such as culture and history.
Oral history and tradition is often rooted in language and this
promotion of English in schools can imply a cultural and historical
devaluation and may impact heavily on Somali identity and overall societal
structures and governing systems.
Finally, the promotion of English language is further justified
through the minimal options of higher education initiatives in Somalia,
forcing students to look to Kenya, Sudan and India as major supporters of
scholarships to Somali students. Students have quickly learned that in order to continue on to
higher education will require fluency in English so to be competitive for
scholarship awards. In
response to this demand, several institutions have opened to students such
as the East African University in Puntland, and the Puntland Community
College, however, both of these institutions have chosen to provide
instruction in English, perpetuating the demand for students to study
primarily in English throughout their basic education.
The reason why the issue of language of instruction is so essential
to this study is because as an organization, Somali Family Services must
make a decision regarding their choice in language in its intervention.
This is extremely challenging due to the fact that there is no
official central government policy written to support or oppose the use of
English in schools. The state
of Puntland and Somalia as a whole must weigh out the options for their
language of instruction in rural areas and urban zones and consider the
greatest needs of each community. Without
this basic policy in place, schools will continue to diverge on their
language mediums and destroy any potential for a cohesive, solid
educational base for the cohort of students caught in this post-civil war
re-building era. Therefore,
it is recommended that Somali Family Services not make any decision
regarding their language policies in educational initiatives until there
is a solid government policy backing the reform, but rather consider
options that support both languages and offer students and teachers the
option of language study.
Teachers in Nugaal
The state of teachers in Nugaal is a very desperate situation that
is in real need of support. In
every interview conducted, in addition to the surveys sent to Somalia,
every single respondent stated that teachers, their training, and their
salaries are among the top three priorities in educational reform.
One respondent even stated that if schools could attract and retain
highly qualified and motivated teachers, issues such as accessibility
would no longer be major problems. As
it is, however, teachers are overwhelmed with work, underpaid, and
insufficiently trained according to our interviews.
To support these views, KAALO, a Nugaal-based relief organization
provided us with the following enrollment statistics gathered by the
Puntland State of Somalia Ministry of Education[2].
According
to the statistics cited in the table above the overall average
student-to-teacher ratio in Nugaal is 32 students per teacher, and in the
Garowe district, the average is 39 students per teacher.
Additionally, KAALO stated that the current salary of most students
ranges between $50 - $100 (USD) per month, a sum that can hardly support
their basic needs.
Given these statistics, it appears that a program in teacher
training and general teacher support would be of high value to the Nugaal
public schools and a worth-while program for Somali Family Services to
support. However, several
interviewees noted that in addition to the teacher training provided by
UNESCO, there were other NGO’s including Oxford University and Diakonia
who have already implemented teacher training projects.
Therefore, before designing and implementing such a program, it is
advised that Somali Family Services continue the next level of research
focused on the initiatives of both Diakonia and Oxford University and
consider how to improve upon or supplement existing programs rather than
abandon the idea of teacher training completely.
Additionally, Somali Family Services should consider how they might
provide teacher incentives that may supplement their wages or increase
desirability of their profession and attract new teachers and retain
current teachers.
Other
Important Themes: Materials, Buildings and Rural Districts
Though teacher training was by far the biggest concern of all
respondents to this study, there were additional themes that recurred
throughout the interviews. These include books and teaching materials, building spaces,
and disadvantaged rural schools. Each
of these elements is important in considering Somali Family Service’s
plans for an intervention in Nugaal and determining the nature of their
future project.
The first element, books and teaching materials, is again a
challenging area for an intervention due in part for the need to support a
language of instruction. Books and materials can be obtained through international
donors much more cheaply and efficiently if they are in English.
For example, Books for Africa provided Somali Family Services with
an initial shipment of 36,000 books and all of these books, besides any
foreign language textbooks, were in English.
Though their work is important and often well-intentioned, by
providing a region with books for a library, the Books for Africa donation
is directly contributing to the devaluation of Somali language by giving
the community more reason to become literate in English instead of Somali.
We say that it encourages English “instead of” Somali rather
than “in addition to” Somali because this contribution does not
include Somali language books, and this selection that will be housed in a
new public library, will not be offering the community an option for
reading in Somali. If Somali
Family Services is considering a materials or textbook-based program, they
should consider providing funding to local, Somali based publishers and
offer an equal or superior amount of support to Somali materials until an
official position is taken on language of instruction.
Next, with regards to the need for building support and
renovations, it has been very challenging for this study to assess the
level of need in this area because the study could not be conducted in
Nugaal. In considering
building and renovation support, Somali Family Services must next assess
the number of schools in relation to the population it serves, the
conditions of the schools, and the locations of schools.
Once this has been accounted for, under-taking a building project
may be a good choice if we can identify a location and community in need
of a new school, or schools in need of upgrades and renovations. The greatest concern for this is that according to Somali
Family Services’ architectural partner, MSAADA, “bricks and mortar”
or building initiatives are difficult to fund.
Fewer aid organizations and foundations are willing to allocate
funds to building projects, so this initiative should be among the lower
priorities for an international organization and remain an aim for future
government and leadership.
Finally, several interviews produced data indicating that rural
schools tend to be situated at a disadvantage to rural schools.
This was very difficult to clarify since the respondents appeared
to be working from a perception that may not have reflected their own
experiences or assessments, rather an opinion that was widely shared.
Therefore before targeting rural over urban areas, a study must be
conducted to assess in what ways schools are disadvantaged.
For example, it should regard teacher attrition, books, materials,
facilities in the study, but more importantly, cultural divisions between
urban and rural students. Issues
such as agricultural seasons, nomadic cattle herding, and local demand for
and support of education will require a great deal of attention.
Conclusions
The challenges
outlined in the data analysis provide an insight into some of the
principle areas of education needing support in Nugaal as were outlined by
the interview participants. These
challenges address the original questions of Somali Family Services,
namely to identify educational problems, and then provide a framework for
a future intervention to be implemented in Nugaal. In addition to the
specific challenges in education, another important piece of information
that was provided by the interviews is that according to the Somali
respondents, they overwhelmingly feel that there is a need for reform and
change, and it needs to happen quickly.
However, the researchers have concluded that a hasty and poorly
planned program could do greater long-term to the community than good.
We strongly recommend that Somali Family Services shape their
intervention to be a long-term, sustainable program that is flexible
enough to evolve with reforms and changes in policy and government.
The historical and political background of Somalia shows that
education is facing a crucial period of reconstruction right now, and it
is necessary that Somali Family Services works to support policy makers
and reforms rather than establish and push its own agenda.
In summary, this
pilot project makes the following propositions to Somali Family Services:
1)
Teacher training and teacher support is seen as an overwhelming
priority for reform in Nugaal according to interview and statistical data. Somali Family Services should consider this as a possible
intervention, but before planning a program they need to a) research the
current teacher training programs in Nugaal that have been initiated by
UNESCO, Oxford University, and Diakonia; b) determine what problems these
programs are not addressing; and c) plan an intervention that either
supports current efforts of these programs through a partnership or plan a
new intervention that addresses needs that are not being met.
2)
Schools need greater access to books and materials and this is seen
as a major priority among interviewees.
If Somali Family Services decides to provide books and materials,
they must provide equal support to both English and Somali language
mediums until a more formal policy is in place.
If they do not, it could greatly damage future projects if the
policy differs from the Somali Family Services intervention.
3)
Continue research in collaboration with NGO’s and government
agencies currently working on education in Somalia.
This type of support will be essential when Somali Family Services
begins to implement their intervention.
4)
Work closely with members of the Somali diaspora in Minnesota as
well as the communities in Nugaal to create programs that will serve the
needs of the populations directly affected by the programming. These recommendations should serve as a framework for the next phase of research that will help Somali Family Services refine their goals and define their program plans. The recommendations, coupled with the findings outlined in detail above should act as a guideline as they continue to plan their intervention. This will help to achieve a sustainable program that works directly to serve communities in Nugaal and improve overall education efforts in the public sector.
Bibliography Atlas Freegk. www.atlas.freegk.com/world/africa/somalia/somalia.php
Abdi, A. A (1998). “Education in
Somalia: history, destruction, and calls for
reconstruction.” Comparative Education. Volume 34 No. 3.
Pp.327-340
Abdulgaffar H. Mahamud abdulle, North
East Somalia Regional Reports: Nugaal regional Note. www.wsp-internationl.org/scme/scne-04.htm. April 28, 2004
Bennaars. Gerald. A, Seif. Huda. A,
Mwangi. D (1996) “Mid-decade review of progress
towards
education for All: The Somalia Country case Study”. International
Consultation
Forum on Education for All. Nairobi.
Gonzalo, Retamal., Devadoss, M. (1994)
“Rehabilitating Somalia’s Education Sector: The
Role of
UNESCO” Unesco-Somalia,
Mogadishu.
Warsame, Ali. A. (2001) “How a strong
government backed an African language: The
Lesson of
Somalia.” International
Review of Education. Kluwer Academic
Publisher.
Printed in the Netherlands.
Additional
Sources of Information
Formal
Interviews in Garowe, Somalia (Phone)
1.
Ali
Mohamed Abdirahman, Deputy Minister of the Interior
2.
Abdirahman
Shiikdoon, Instructor at Puntland Community College
3.
Aadam
Shiikdoon, Business owner in Garowe
4.
Mohamud
Sheek Hamud, Chair of KAALO
Formal
Interviews in Minneapolis, MN
1.
Mohamed
Nuh, Parent of Students in Garowe
2.
Mursal
Abdi, Former teacher from Garowe
3.
Abdurashid
Mohamed Ali, Director of Somali Family Services
Email Questionnaires
1.
Mohamed Samantar – Education Professional based in Brighton, UK
2.
Sirad Yusuf – Naruro Relief Organizaiton, Seattle, Washington
3.
Mohamud Hamud – KAALO, Garowe, Nugaal, Somalia
Informational Meeting
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||