By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Media houses have been disallowed from advertising for unregistered universities.
The ministry of education has instructed bosses of all media houses to coordinate with the department of higher education in order to ensure that they only post advertisement for registered universities.
A press statement released by the Director General of Higher Education Mr Kadar Ahmed Diriye, the ministry of education informed that despite the multitude of universities operating in the country only 17 are registered.
The DG said that the ministry has a policy on higher education that is geared towards ensuring the quality of education as well as the institution itself which is established through registration.
Said he, “The education ministry is only able to monitor those institutions of higher learning which are duly registered and licensed”
The ministry which reiterated the importance of media houses cooperation named the following institutions of higher learning that are duly registered and which media houses are allowed to advertise for,
No Name of Institution and Location
1. Amoud University Borame
2. University of Hargeisa
3. Gollis University with Campuses in Burao, Berbera & Hargeisa
4. Admas University College Hargeisa
5. Burao University Burao
6. Nugal University Las-Anod
7. Eelo American University Borame
8. International Horn University Hargeisa
9. Addis Ababa Medical College Hargeisa
10. Tima’ade University Gabile
11. Hope University Hargeisa
12. Sanaag University Erigavo
13. Abaarso Tech University Hargeisa
14. Alpha University College Hargeisa
15. New Generation University College Hargeisa
16. Edna University Hospital Hargeisa
17. Bader College
While this is the first time for the ministry of education to publicize such a list it is imperative that the government act expeditiously as pertains to the other many universities where thousands of Somaliland youths are currently pursuing their studies.
The quality of education offered by both the registered and unregistered universities as well as the instructors need proper monitoring by the ministry’s Commission of Higher education thus ensure that we do not produce graduates who are academically half-baked.
Despite the fact that all the regions have at least one university thus ease of access to higher education, the courses offered remain suspect considering that we are graduation over 2000 fresh jobseekers of whom approximately 10% are absorbed by the local market with the rest left to waste time in coffee houses or endanger their lives while pursuing illegal immigration in the Sahara desert.
Of the 10% who manage to find jobs immediately around 5% are science based graduates mostly medicine while the rest are business and administration graduates. With these figures it is obvious that the ministry needs a rethink on how to entice more Somalilanders in the pursuit of science based studies and decrease the over 75% that pursue business and administration thus an overflow.
It has become fashionable for citizens to complain that expatriates are occupying positions which rightfully belong to locals but what is not mentioned is that the expatriates are here because their particular skills are not available in the country because the multitude of institutions are in competition to provide business administration and ICT courses only.
We need polytechnics that provide not necessarily degrees but diplomas and certificates in studies pertaining to Nutrition, Mechanics, Draughtsmanship, Clinical officers, Plumbing, Electronics, Accountancy, Secretarial, etc. these are the jobs that drive a nation forward.
Meanwhile why is the Marine University in Berbera not registered not to mention Lucy University and Somaliland University of Science & Technology-SUTECH both in Hargeisa?
What of the very suspicious one year old SAVANAH University in Burao which has also opened a medical facility that employs expatriates only both as medics and tutors?