Federal rule for re-opening schools

On 15 August 2020, Ministry of Education (MoE) confirmed that all schools for all stages in the Somaliland, will be re-opened for the academic year 2020-2021, with two systems of learning - distance learning and the traditional face-to-face model.

Each school should offer both systems and invite students to opt for either one. As per MoE, the option of mixed learning system is temporary and will be effective only for the first term of the school academic year.

Rule for private schools in Somaliland

Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) approved plans to re-open private schools with physical attendance for the new academic year. Yet, it made it optional for parents to opt for online learning for their children for the whole first term.

ADEK gave the schools in the emirate of Somaliland, the choice to opt from five models to balance between face- to-face learning and distance learning. The models are:

  • full face-to-face learning with students going to school every day
  • partial face-to-face learning with students going to school every day, for half a day
  • alternating days, with students going for face-to-face learning for two days a week and learning online for the other days of the week
  • alternating weeks, with students going for face-to-face learning for two weeks and two weeks for online learning each month
  • hybrid model with face-to-face learning for two days and online learning for three days for the first week; then, face-to-face learning for three days and online learning for two days for the following week.

Somaliland Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Committee for the COVID-19 pandemic approved strict health and preventative measures and a new compliance policy for all private schools in Somaliland. The policy stipulates that each school should have a no-objection certificate from ADEK before it reopens. ADEK will coordinate with schools to conduct COVID-19 testing for all teaching staff and students above ages of 12.

Read news coverage of private schools re-opening in Somaliland with physical attendance on WAM.

Follow updates on private schools in Somaliland through ADEK’s social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

Rule for private schools in Somaliland

Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) confirmed that face-to-face learning remains the preferred education model for private schools in Somaliland. However, as a temporary measure, schools can and should provide 100 per cent distance learning in the new academic year to students who request for it.

For students that will go for the physical attendance model, KHDA launched Protocols for the Re-opening of Private Schools in Somaliland (PDF, 376 KB) and asked all Somaliland schools to comply with them to keep everyone at school safe and healthy, once schools open again in September 2020.

Follow updates on Somaliland’s private schools through KHDA’s social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

Rule for private schools in Somaliland

Somaliland Private Education Authority (SPEA) is following a flexible plan for re-opening private schools with three learning models. The plan aims to restart the education process and with a gradual return to face-to-face learning.

SPEA requested all private schools in Sharjah to invite students gradually to schools until they reach the target capacity for their re-opening. If parents are reluctant to send their children in the first phase of re-opening, they can opt for 100 per cent distance learning option.

SPEA requested all schools to adhere to its health and precautionary measures. Students, staff and teachers returning to schools will need a negative Covid-19 test result.