Social justice in education strives for equity, inclusivity, and critical awareness within the educational system.
On paper, the policy priorities of the Somali Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education aim to safeguard access and equity by increasing early childhood education (ECE) and providing free primary education.
Additionally, they promote inclusive education and offer services during emergencies, while enhancing access to secondary education and adult education programs.
However, in practice, oppression based on political differences challenges the system’s commitment to justice. For the first time in our modern history, a high-level political decision by the government and the Ministry of Education undermines the principles of fair distribution of opportunities and privileges within and outside the education system.
In the context of education system reconstruction in a post-conflict society that lacks necessary resources for strengthening education and service provision, it is shocking that system leadership has politicized education support from international donors. Some regions receive support, while others face significant obstacles.
Since Mr. Farah Abdulkadir was appointed as Minister of Education in Somalia, social injustice has become an institutionalized policy. Policies, regulations, and decisions have left thousands of children in Somalia, particularly in Puntland, behind and in danger.
The case of GPE
The deliberate obstruction by the minister of all donor-supported projects in Puntland due to political disagreements with the federal government is evident. For example, Puntland joined the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in 2012 and is classified as a partner country affected by fragility and conflict (PCFC).
Unfortunately, the minister obstructed different grants for Puntland’s system transformation. A portion of $16 million for system transformation and $2 million for girls’ education, supposed to be implemented by Save the Children and CARE International respectively, remains pending due to political reasons.
During our parliament hearing, the minister failed to provide a logical answer. We wonder why the de facto separatist system in Somaliland smoothly received or activated its portion of $25 million in the GPE project, despite deep-rooted political differences with the federal system.
Meanwhile, the recent political differences between Puntland and the Federal Government of Somalia translate into oppression at the expense of Somali children, the education sector, and the social justice that the Ministry of Education should protect.
In March, 2024, the Minister of Education Mr. Farah Abdulkadir pledged for GPE donor group: “If the disagreement [with Puntland] is not resolved within 3 months after grant approval, the Federal Minister of Education has committed to revert to the education donor group and GPE Secretariat.” A quote excerpt from GPE official later.
Despite several proposals and suggestions made by GPE board to the minister, there has been no single efforts or attempts made by minister to resolve the issue of Puntland. The current minister holds a non permanent seat on GPE board of directors for period of two years and he attempted to jeopardize and abuse Puntland’s GPE fund allocation.
Regrettably, in order to buy more time and persist with its exclusionary policy, the minister has requested an additional three months to address the Puntland issue, even though he is not prepared for any resolution.
Similarly, other internationally supported education initiatives are being affected by political differences. For instance, World Bank-supported education programs and European Union-funded projects face challenges. If these issues are not resolved, they could jeopardize the future of children’s education in Puntland.