Education for Empowerment through Cohesive and Harmonized System by Save the Children
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The European Union is investing €11,250,000 towards the education sector.
The project dubbed “Horumarinta Cilmiga” (education Development) was launched at a colorful ceremony presided over by the Head of state H.E Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo on 11th December in Hargeisa.
The consortium implementing the project is led by Save the Children International and includes the Ministry of Education-MOE, Norwegian Refugee Council-NRC and Care international.
While thanking the European Union for continued assistance to multi-sectored development in the country and the implementing consortium, president Silanyo said that his administration is determined to ensure quality education is availed all school age going children.
The Horumarinta Cilmiga project which is designed around the needs of pupils/students in Somaliland schools is geared towards strengthening the curriculums of primary and secondary schools.
According to the Director of Programmes, Ashebir Debebe of Save the Children says, “”Horumarinta Cilmiga” will bring to an end the current project-based approach to education by creating synergy and bringing in a Sector Wide Approach where the Ministry of Education takes the primary role in leading the programme.”
The minister of Education Hon Zamzam Abdi Aden, who also thanked the EU for funding the Education development program to the tune of €10,250,000, said that she was optimistic of the program getting the desired impact due to the diligence of the SCF led consortium members which have time and again shown their mettle in implementing educational projects.
Below are full ewxcerpts of a press statement released by Save the Children
PRESS RELEASE
Quote-Save the Children, together with the Ministry of Education & Higher Studies of Somaliland and its consortium partners NRC and CARE, will launch a European Union (EU) supported project named “Horumarinta Cilmiga” (Education for Empowerment through Cohesive and Harmonized System) on Tuesday, 11th December 2012 at 9:00am at Maansoor Hotel in Hargeisa.
“Horumarinta Cilmiga” aims to contribute to a sustainable education system, offering relevant services to children both in primary and secondary schools, as well as working closely with the Ministry of Education & Higher Studies. Specifically, the project aims to strengthen the delivery of effective education services that address the needs of the Somaliland’s children.
More than 4,000 teachers have been trained and over 40,000 school children in Somaliland have directly and indirectly benefited so far from Save the Children’s interventions supported by EU. Also, over 6,000 youth have had access to demand driven skills training and employment services.
Horumarinta Cilmiga will include capacity building of education institutions, training of teachers, construction of primary and secondary schools, provision of basic education materials and promoting children’s participation, as its focus. The direct beneficiaries of the project will include 28,000 primary school children, 11,000 secondary schoo
l children, 2,000 youth in skills training and 700 staff of the Ministry of Education & Higher Studies. The Ministry of Education & Higher Studies will lead in strategic decision making relevant to the programme implementation.
Invited guests for the launch include the President of the Republic of Somaliland, officials from the European Union, officials from the Ministry of Education & Higher Studies, University Heads and Regional Education Officials.
Save the Children and its consortium partners look forward to continued engagement with the EU and the Government of Somaliland to increase access to quality education by the vulnerable children and youth in Somaliland. Unquote
For further details contact
Mowlid Mudan Tell: 4470781 Email: Mowlid.mudan@savethechildren.org
ADDENDUM
The EU is the biggest to the country with over 70 Million Euros annually has increased this assistance after injecting an extra 50 million Euros ($64 millions) directly for further development of sectors like Education, Fisheries, Minerals, Water and Agriculture.
The EU representative to Somalia and Somaliland Ambassador D’Urso informed that this funding that shall be submitted directly to the government of Somaliland comes after proposals by the minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdilahi Omar and Planning minister Dr Saad Ali.
Ambassador D’Urso who further informed that this is the biggest direct EU donation to Somaliland said that he was confident that the targeted sectors will see an improvement thus sustainable alleviate poverty nationwide.
The EU has also officially incorporated the country into the EUCAP NESTOR program, which is geared towards strengthening the maritime capacities of Horn of African Countries, in which Somaliland shall see its coastal guards receive training and equipment and the judiciary’s capacity to deal with piracy case enhanced through the EUCAP NESTOR program
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