Education stakeholders call for reforms, standardisation and resource allocation

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: A five days national education conference concluded in Mogadishu on Friday with a raft of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of education and rebuilding the education sector.

The conference based on the theme Quality Education, Social Change and Equity called on the Federal Government to focus on education as a national priority agenda and urged for increased resources to develop the sector which suffered significantly during the civil war period.

On basic education, the conference said the highest priority should be given to this level since it forms the foundation of learners. It also recommended a review of the status of Quran schools to improve their quality in addition to introducing broadcast education for grades one to four. The attendees also called for the introduction of literacy campaigns which were common in Somalia in the 1970s.

Regarding higher education, the conference proposed the formation of the Higher education Commission to oversee the university and tertiary education sector. It also said universities should introduce a one-year foundational course for all students before they pursue their respective course areas.

TEACHER TRAINING

The conference further recommended that teacher training be pegged on three stages namely training, certification and licensing and that the number of female teachers should be increased. The conference which was opened by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on March 13 also recommended the adoption of technology, the use of media and the development of the Somali language.

Stakeholders also called for a focus on the education of girls, children with special needs, children from nomadic communities, children from displaced families and those from recovered areas from Al-Shabaab.

On funding, the conference called for the formation of a National Education Fund to ensure sustained funding of the education sector in addition to standardisation of the curriculum and exam systems in the country.

The private education sector should strive to offer world-class education and complement public education, stakeholders said and should emphasise Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Languages.