The coastal old city of Hobyo and its environs in Central Somalia has been hosting years of terrorism, migration and piracy before Galmudug forces backed by Somali military manage to drive al-Shabaab militants out of the town.

For years, pupils in the town had been unable to see bright future as the only choice in the area for primary leavers were either to leave the town or fight for the militants in the region.

The other rare option to the now defunct piracy as Hobyo was once hub for pirates hijacking water vessels from the Indian Ocean. But Piracy now becomes history as the presence of the global anti-piracy force reduced the piracy activities off the coast of Somalia.

In first term in office, Abdirahman Yusuf Aladaala, Deputy minister of information, who was nominated by Prime Minister Rooble on October 2020, decided to turn the town into educational centre by funding the construction of the first high school premises in the town.

 "In order to effectively fight terrorism and piracy, we must give our children opportunities to study as knowledge is the key to healthy society” Minister Abdirahman Aladaala, said in an interview with Horn Observer "The education will help the children avoid the wrong path.”

The minister, who paid a visit to his hometown mid last month after flying from Mogadishu, cut the ribbon of the school project, which cost 100,0000 US dollars he locally fundraised in addition to providing a land to build the school. 

Hundreds of jubilant supporters welcomed the minister, some chanting his praise, while others held portraits of his picture and Galmudug flag.

Speaking to his supporters, Minister Al-Adaala said that the town of Hobyo is one of the Somalia’s oldest towns and yet it had no single high school, which he said is one of the reasons that touched him and led him to fund a high a school by himself.

"Over 100 students will benefit from the school’s first phase” Minister said, adding that the project will help hundreds of students, who either had to travel hundreds of kilometers to complete their education or had to give up their education dreams.

In late June, the town of Wisil, not far from Hobyo witnessed one of the most brutal attacks  in its history.  According to the United Nations (UN), thousands of people were displaced from homes after heavy fighting between Somali forces and al-Shabaab fighters in Wisil town. Local media reports say that at least 40 people were killed in the attack, majority of them the town’s residents.

Hobyo town is one of a few places in Somalia, that does not get education support from the international organizations, however, its students depend on locally funded schools, which is the only available source for the desperate pupils.

The establishment of the school comes as Somalia’s federal and regional state education ministers inked agreement to standardize the education system in the horn Africa nation.

Education ministers from federal government, Puntland, Jubbaland, Hirshabelle, Galmudug and Southwest as well as representatives from Benadir region have this week agreed that the school curriculum at secondary will be unified. This will also include a joint examination in line with guidelines issued by the Federal Government.

- Horn Observer -