Puntland State Accuses Somalia’s Federal Government of Hindering Education Cooperation

Garowe, Somalia, May 30, 2026 – Puntland State’s education minister has accused Somalia’s federal government of standing in the way of efforts to deepen cooperation in the education sector and win backing from international partners, underscoring fresh friction between the semi-autonomous region and Mogadishu.

Addressing the launch of Puntland State’s 2025-2026 national certificate examinations, Education Minister Fuad Abshir Ahmed said the regional government had spent more than a year seeking dialogue with Somalia’s federal education ministry, but the two sides had failed to settle key disagreements over how education should be administered and managed.

“The development of education and the realisation of the right to education require cooperation across all levels of government,” the minister said, emphasizing the need for coordination among federal, regional and local authorities.

Ahmed said Puntland State is convinced that its education objectives cannot be met without close collaboration between government institutions, adding that the lack of coordination has weakened efforts to improve the sector.

He also said Puntland State officials had long avoided airing disputes with the federal government in public, but had now decided it was necessary to speak openly about the difficulties affecting the relationship.

The comments were delivered as more than 25,000 students across Puntland State took secondary and middle school leaving examinations, one of the region’s biggest annual academic milestones.

The row is part of wider tensions between Puntland State and the federal government over governance and institutional authority, with education now adding another layer to the long-running dispute.

AXADLETM