Somalia: Somalia President Meets Top 10 High School Graduates, Promises Free University Education

What the report says

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met in Mogadishu on Monday with the 10 students who scored highest in Somalia’s national Grade 12 secondary school examinations, according to Shabelle via AllAfrica. The president congratulated the students and urged them to continue their studies, framing their results as the start of a longer academic path.

During the meeting, Mohamud said students who want to pursue university education inside Somalia would have access to free opportunities. The pledge is aimed at encouraging top-performing graduates to remain in the country for higher education and, more broadly, at supporting academic achievement among young Somalis.

The presidency also said the government is planning a new public university focused on technology and modern sciences. No timetable, location or funding details were provided in the report. The proposed institution would fit into Somalia’s wider effort to expand higher education, which the article says remains constrained by long-running challenges such as limited access, teacher shortages and weak infrastructure.

The announcement matters because education is a major policy issue in Somalia, where the government has been trying to strengthen skills training and develop a workforce for future economic needs. The meeting also highlights official recognition for high-performing students at a time when the country is seeking to build more local opportunities for advanced study.