Tens of thousands of students in Somalia’s central Hiran region have been forced to abandon their studies due to severe flooding caused by heavy rains. The devastating floods have affected over 37,000 students, leaving them without access to education.
The region’s education officials have expressed concern about the long-term impact of the flooding on the education sector.
Elmi Hashi Dhalin, who is a teacher in Somalia, highlighted the challenges, “The learning materials have been destroyed, and the classrooms have been damaged. It will be very difficult to recover, as most of the students have been displaced to far-away locations, making it challenging to bring them back and resume lessons.”
Parents of the affected students are appealing to the government to intervene and establish schools in higher grounds to prevent future disruptions. Barre Ali Gedi, a parent, emphasized, “There is no learning here for the children. There is water everywhere. As parents, we are calling upon the Ministry of Education to establish schools in higher grounds, so that when the flooding season comes, students can continue their learning activities.”
Last year, the Somali government organized special exams after similar flooding incidents disrupted the exam timetable. Officials have reassured that they will do everything possible to help.
Director of Education of the Beledweyn District in Somalia, Mustaf Osman Mohamud said, “The students in this region always have the worry of not taking part in the examination exercise despite hard work and preparation due to the flood havoc. We hope that will not happen again this year.”
The situation highlights the vulnerability of Somalia’s education system to natural disasters and the need for sustainable solutions to ensure uninterrupted learning for students.
