MOGADISHU, Somalia, June 20, 2026 – Somalia’s education authorities marked a major national test on Saturday as more than 44,000 students began their 2026 secondary school leaving examinations, a step officials say underscores progress in rebuilding the country’s schooling system.
The Ministry of Education said 44,136 candidates are participating in the exams, which are being held at 158 centres spread across 58 districts, the majority of them in southern and central Somalia.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre opened the examinations and called on students to approach the tests with discipline, commitment and fair competition.
Barre said the federal government has already invested heavily in education and remains determined to strengthen schools across the country so the next generation can help shape Somalia’s future.
He added that the National Transformation Plan places education at the heart of Somalia’s development agenda, with improving standards and modernising the sector among the government’s leading priorities.
“Education is not only the path to success, but also the foundation of development and national capacity-building,” the prime minister said, noting that Islam also places great value on learning.
Education Minister Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir congratulated the students taking part in the national exams and wished them success, while also thanking school leaders, teachers, parents, security forces and everyone involved in organising the tests.
“The Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education is committed to ensuring the integrity, fairness and quality of national examinations, with the aim of producing a knowledgeable and capable generation that will drive the country’s development,” the minister said.
In recent years, Somalia has steadily widened its national examination system as part of wider efforts to rebuild institutions and expand access to education after decades of conflict and instability.
AXADLETM
