His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and Cabinet were today briefed government plans to rebuild and reopen Somali National University at the weekly Cabinet meeting. The plans were unanimously supported by the Cabinet.

Somali National University was established in 1974, consisting of 13 faculties, 700 staff and educating over 15,000 students. The physical structure of the National University campus has been heavily damaged, it is estimated it will cost $3.6m to refurbish the university.

“Education must be at the heart of every civilised country's agenda and Somalia is no different. Through education we fight poverty, illiteracy and ignorance and we promote social development,” the Prime Minister said.

“Now that peace is returning to Somalia, we urgently need to re-establish our education system, which has been devastated by two decades of fighting. The Ministry for Human Development and Public Services has already launched the ambitious Go 2 School campaign, which will see $117 million invested over three years, with the aim of getting one million more children into schools.

“We must now focus on reviving our state higher education system. Reopening Somali National University will allow our brightest and most talented pupils to once again aspire to attend university in Somalia.

“A generation has already lost its education through war. Without education we will not build a new Somalia. ”

The Cabinet also discussed and welcomed the United Nations Security Council backing for the package of non-lethal support to be provided to the SNA through a UN trust fund and the increase in number of AMISOM personnel.

“This increased support and manpower will help to bring about a final end to the fighting, allowing Somalia to get on with reconstructing our country and rebuilding our economy,” said His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon.

ENDS

Ridwaan Haji