| Front Page |
Mohamed Abdillahi Dualeh (Ilkacase), Hargeisa
Somaliland is, to borrow a phrase from Nigerian culture, a spirit child (see for instance, Ben Okri’s recent novel, the Famished Road and Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart).
The life of a (spirit child) is cyclical: it is born, then dies, then is reborn to the same family. This mirrors the life of Somaliland, which like a spirit child, was born in 1960, was betrayed the same year and was reborn again in 1991.
The question is: would it stay? Would it be betrayed again? How can we make it stay? How can we end the cycle of birth and betrayal? The cycle can be broken only through unity among Somalilanders. Secondly we must build institutions, schools, universities, hospitals, communication systems. Also, we have to improve the traditional economy and establish new viable industries.
I believe we have already laid down the framework of those institutions. But what we are lacking is unity among ourselves. The question is how do we achieve unity among us? My suggestion is simple: through education.
Somaliland faces an uphill battle. In 1939, there was only one elementary school in the country; the first high school was opened in 1954 (just six years before independence). In the post-colonial period, no colleges or universities were established in Somaliland. It was only after Somaliland became an independent state that universities were opened: Amoud University, University of Hargeysa, Buroa University and soon to be opened Saahil University (in Sheekh). In short, the whole educational system had to be built from scratch. But we need to be cautious. The school system must be built gradually. In addition, we must avoid building numerous over-crowded and under-funded schools without adequate teachers and facilities (libraries and laboratories).
It is very important indeed that if we are going to have universities, for instance, that they should have good libraries, labs and university press. Without them, they would be mere high schools with high-sounding names.
In designing an education system for high school or university, we must focus on the production of knowledge.
Knowledge isn’t borrowed (aqoonta amaah laysuma siiyo), rather it is produced, cultivated and disseminated through painstaking teaching, research and application.
Of course, we have to keep a skeptical perspective. After all, educated Somalilanders have so far not distinguished themselves in any field. No educated Somalilander has so far made any profound contribution to our society in the same way, for instance, that poets had done.
Educated Somalilanders have more often than not proven themselves to be opportunists rather than thinkers and leaders.
For instance, (Salaan Carabey) mocked them in 1950: (lekjar ferenji niman baa akhriya, laawis iyo beene, oo weliba laasima, intay libin isku moodaane). And Hadraawi recently dismissed the whole school system: (diktoor cadaweey sideen/dartey uma soo lug go’in). The poets had a point, schools indeed have so far produced (diktoor cadawah). What then is the solution? Even though I agree with Hadraawi, I must nevertheless argue that the educated Somalilander isn’t a lost cause yet.
There is the possibility that if we train them at home and they have the necessary commitment for the job, that we may succeed in producing an educated class that can make profound contributions to Somaliland.
We must adapt to the modern world, build world-class institutions in which we train world-class scholars, researchers, scientists, engineers, politicians, lawyers, novelists, writers, doctors and technocrats.
If we don’t, then the (spirit child) would continue the old cycle.
Home | Contact us | Links | Archives