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Nairobi, Feb 07, 2004 (SL Times) – The UN organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) has frozen its support for the printing of textbooks for intermediate schools in Somaliland.
UNESCO made no official explanation as to the reason behind its decision so far, but it was revealed that the organization had received pressure from the chief of the Nairobi-based United Nations Political Office for Somalia to dissuade it from printing school textbooks for Somaliland’s ministry of Education.
Mr. Winston Tubman, Kofi Annan’s representative for Somalia and head of the UNPOS, wrote on Oct 21, 2003 to UNESCO’S PEER, M. Devados, instructing him not to go ahead with the printing of social studies text book for grade 5 students in Somaliland. Mr. Tubman complained that the textbook advocated for “Somaliland’s secessionist policy”. He had called on UNESCO to print a “unified social studies textbook for all Somali students in grade 5”. Mr. Tubman’s objections with regard to the social studies textbook were all politically motivated and had nothing to do with the academic content of the syllabus.
The UNPOS chief asked UNESCO to omit:
- All reference to Somaliland’s 1991 withdrawal from its union with Somalia, including the decade-long armed struggle that Somalilanders waged to free themselves from Siyad Barre’s dictatorship.
- All maps showing vegetation, rainfall, mountains, main roads, ports, etc.
The Somaliland Times has learned that UNESCO had complied with the demands put forward to it by Mr. Tubman.
The Somaliland ministry of Education finished designing a comprehensive curriculum for the intermediate school level in the year 2000. UNESCO took charge of printing of the textbooks in Nairobi with the understanding that they would be ready for delivery by 2001. Another curriculum that was designed earlier by the Somaliland ministry of Education for the elementary level was successfully printed and delivered by UNICEF in 2001.
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