Planning Department

Outbreak of civil war in Somalia led to the imminent collapse of education system in Somalia, but with stabilizing of the State, the higher education sector is experiencing exponential growth. There are now close to 50 higher education institutions (HEIs) of different sizes and different capacities functioning across the country and enrolling over 50,000 students. With limited resource available to the government, the HEIs are forced to almost exclusively rely on funding from students’ fees, which has been considered to be very high. The capacity of the government entities to regulate this sector is also limited which has led to spiral growth of HEIs hence questionable quality. Furthermore the HEIs have inadequate qualified lectures with PhDs.

The Somali National University was founded in 1969 with the two Faculties of Law and Economics and the College of Education, La-Foole. In 1980, the number of faculties reached 14 faculties and post-programs were launched. Unfortunately, the civil war that took place in 1991 demolished all education infrastructure including university campuses. The national university has been

re-established after more than two decades of absence with 6 faculties, Agriculture, Veterinary, medicine, education, economics and law. In 1971 the Faculties of Industrial Chemistry and Agriculture were added, while in 1973 the Faculties of Engineering, Medicine and Veterinary Science began functioning.  In the Academic year of 1979-80, the new Faculty of Language enrolled its first students. In the development plan for Somalia 1979-81 "Marine Science". The realization of the university of Somalia has been assisted by Italy, which provided financial and organizational programs through the technical Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.