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On Sunday, October 5, 2003, The Somaliland Minister of Commerce and Industry, Eng. Mohamed Hashi Elmi and the Somaliland Foreign Minister, Edna Adan Ismail, who are currently touring the United States, participated in a luncheon sponsored by SOPRI and coordinated by the California Somaliland Community, at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Hilton Hotel. It was an open-format event, where participants had the chance to ask questions and were encouraged to contribute to a solution. The theme of the event was: "Never discuss your problem with people incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always to tell you how". Mediated by Zamzam Mohammed of Los Angeles, it went smoothly and great ideas were exchanged.
Both Mohammed Hashi and Adna Ismail addressed the community and left them with words of wisdom. While Adna had to leave for a pre-arranged Radio interview, an opportunity to educate and inform Californians about Somaliland, Mohammed took the stage to address the Somaliland Community.
Mohamed Hashi provided a lot of statistics and data on many fields, from education to industries. He emphasized the importance of education, new technology and its advantage. He advised the audience in many ways. Mohamed himself a graduate of California Universities, went on explaining that applying internet and other advanced technologies in Somaliland will help reduce the cost of text books, or the lack of them, and other class-room materials.
Education is the most vital of all resources and development doesn't start with goods, but with people and their education, organization and discipline. without theses all resources remain latent, untapped and potential, stated Mohamed Hashi. The minister continued that, it is through education an individual is prepared to meet life's challenges. He indicated that it is through the education and training of citizens, a country meets its challenges on the social, cultural and economic fronts. According to Mr. Hashi, the faith in education as an agent of economic development of a nation, will be justified, if the right direction is chosen by a politically free nation. Mohammed added that, the investment made in education, pays good dividends for over two decades, after the right choices are made. However, having said that, until basic needs are met for its country's population, investment on general education should not be encouraged but science, technology, and math are better choices, stated the minister. He explained that, for developing countries, such as Somaliland, technical and vocational education is the most important aspect. He then added that, if the human brain is properly used, it can convert all other resources into wealth, Mohammed said.
The minister provided to the audience statistics data about Somaliland school and education systems as follows:
1. Total number of students enrolled in primary schools both public and private are 96,201
2. Primary public schools attending students are 71,100
3. Primary private schools attending students are 25,101
4. There are 275 primary public schools and 79 private primary schools
5. There were 3,378 students who sat for primary schools leaving examinations
6. There were 1,056 students who sat for secondary school exams
7. There are 1,633 primary public school teachers and 713 private primary school teachers
8. There are 24 secondary schools, 8,279 students and 296 teachers in the secondary schools.
Mohammed Hashi gave these static's to show the teach-student ratio as well the schools and class size problem that is facing the nation. He indicated only by applying existing new technology will help in solving most of the problem. He encouraged the audience to organize themselves and assist their home country particularly in investing, education and health system.
Beside Mohamed Hashi and Edna Adan, other prominent Somaliland community elders addressed the occasion and among them were, Hassan Maygag Samater, Haji Muse Mire of Riverside County, Abiib Jama of San Diego County and Mohammed Bullaleh Elmi who spoke in the name of all Southern California.
Hassan Hirsi
hassanh@pacbell.net
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