STORY: Somalia marks International Day of the African

Child with commitment to improve access to education

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SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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LANGUAGE: SOMALI NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 18/JUNE/2018, MOGADISHU, KISMAYO SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, a gathering in Mogadishu to mark International Day of the African

Child
2. Close up shot, banner
3. Close up shot, a painting of a child with the map of Africa
4. Med shot, artists performing at the event
5. Med shot, youths listening
6. Close up, youths listening
7. Med shot, youths listening
8. Close up shot, a participant taking a photo using a mobile phone
9. Med shot, artists performing at the event
11. Close up shot, a youth listening
12. Wide shot, participants attending the celebrations
13. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Fartun Abdisalam, Executive Director of Elman Peace
Centre
“What we presently need for children is an environment of peace. As we join the
rest of the world to celebrate this day (International Day of the African Child), let us
know that the future of this nation will depend on what we invest in our children.
We need free education.”

14. Med shot, youths listening

15. Close up shot, a youth listening
16. Wide shot, participants attending the celebrations to mark the International Day
of the African Child
17. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Hassan Mohamed Ali, Director General of the Ministry of
Education, Culture and Higher Education
“We hope this new curriculum (for primary schools) will make a positive input into
the education of the Somali children. The curriculum will be adopted for use in
schools across the country, whether they are private schools or public schools.”

18. Wide shot, youths attending the celebrations

19. Med shot, participants attending the celebrations
20. Close up, participants attending the celebrations
21. Med shot, participants attending the celebrations
22. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Abdikafi Mahamud Makaran, Chairperson of Benadir
Youth
“As Benadir Regional Administration, we target to lower the levels of youth
unemployment in the capital city. We have put in a lot of efforts in ensuring that the
youth can be self-reliant. The Benadir Regional Administration has created job
opportunities for 3,000 youths so far. This is part of a government initiative that was
started by the President and aims to address the challenges faced by the youth and
children in Somalia.”

23. Close up shot, artists entertaining the participants

24. Wide shot, artists entertaining the participants

KISMAYO:

25. Med shot, children matching to mark the International Day of the African Child in
Kismayo
26. Wide shot, children matching
27. Wide shot, children matching
28. Close up shot, children
29. Med shot, children holding a banner
30. Wide shot, children listening to Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamud, Jubbaland
Education Minister
31. Close up shot, children listening
32. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamud, Jubbaland Education
Minister
“I am delighted to see children converge here to talk about their history and to know
their situation because children hold a lot of promise and if they are well raised
properly, they will build the future and dignity of this country.”

33. Wide shot, children performing during the celebrations

34. Close up shot, children watching
35. Close up shot, a child watching
36. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Mohamed Mohamud Hassan, participant
“I am talking about the rights of children to access quality education especially those
with special needs for example the deaf and the blind and also children should not
be recruited as soldiers to help ensure they acquire quality education. The parents
are supposed to encourage children to learn.”
Somalia marks International Day of the African Child with commitment to improve
access to education

Mogadishu, 19 June 2018 - Somalia marked the International Day of the African
Child with a commitment to work closely with development partners to ensure
access to quality education for its youthful population.

Hassan Mohamed Ali, the Director General of the Ministry of Education, Culture and
Higher Education, said children in Somalia have a right to education like their
counterparts in other African countries, adding that the government will work
tirelessly to ensure its population is well educated.

“We hope this new curriculum will make a positive input into the education of the
Somali children. The curriculum will be adopted for use in schools across the
country, whether they are private schools or public schools,” said Mr. Ali, referring
to the recently launched education curriculum for primary schools.

The new curriculum is expected to be implemented in the new academic year, which
commences in August.

Mr. Ali, who spoke at an event held in Mogadishu, on Monday, described education
as the cornerstone for Somalia’s development, urging ministries and government
institutions to work together to improve schooling after decades of conflict.

Fartun Abdisalam, the Executive Director of Elman Peace Centre, who also attended
the event, advocated for the provision of free education for Somalia’s children,
saying the move would be a solution to the long-drawn conflict in the country.

“As we join the rest of the world to celebrate this day, let us know that the future of
this nation will depend on what we invest in our children. We need free education,”
said Ms. Abdisalam.

Her sentiments were echoed by Abdikafi Mahamud Makaran, the chairperson of

Benadir Youth in Mogadishu, who stressed the need to provide opportunities for
youths to help accelerate the country’s development.

“As Benadir Regional Administration, we target to lower the levels of youth

unemployment in the capital city. We have put in a lot of efforts in ensuring that the
youth can be self-reliant,” Mr. Makaran observed.

He noted that Benadir Regional Administration has so far managed to create job
opportunities for 3,000 youths, as part of the government’s initiative to address the
challenges faced by young people in Somalia.
In Jubbaland, the celebrations were held in Kismayo and attended by guests who
included ministers, members of Jubbaland state assembly, school children and
members of the civil society.

Speaking at the function, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamud, the Jubbaland Education

Minister, urged parents to provide proper care to their children and protect them
from exploitation by unscrupulous individuals.

“I am delighted to see children converge here to talk about their history and to know
their situation because children hold a lot of promise and if they are well raised
properly, they will build the future and dignity of this country.”

Mohamed Mohamud Hassan, one of the children who participated in the

celebrations, urged the leaders in Somalia to advocate for the rights of children to
access quality education.

“Children should not be recruited as soldiers but should be in school. Parents should
also encourage their children to learn,” said Mohamed.

The International Day of the African Child is marked every year on June 16. This
year’s theme is ‘leave no child behind for Africa’s development’ and is aimed at
creating awareness on the importance of protecting the rights of children and
ensuring both boys and girls have equal opportunities.

ENDS