Children: The Supreme Assets of Every Nation

I was surprised to see children being sold weapons to celebrate their Eid holidays. The opportunity to study saved my life. The most important thing people are expected to focus on is education, especially the education of children growing up in war zones. We are a nation that nurtures its children with weapons made during the festive season, especially on holidays.

Millions of children in Somalia are out of school. Children living with disabilities face even more challenges and adolescent girls are seldom able to complete secondary education. Children in nomadic pastoralist communities are constantly on the move and often denied their rights to an education.

When children go to school, they are rarely able to benefit from it fully. Classrooms are often overcrowded, water and sanitation facilities are inadequate, and trained teachers and school books are hard to come by. The poor quality education is reflected in students’ results. Children living with disabilities face even more challenges and adolescent girls are seldom able to complete secondary education.

There are many neglected children in the country, especially in access to education. I have talked to many children many times and asked them about their desire for education. Most of the people I interviewed were children living in refugee camps. Most of them dreamed of having the same opportunities as their peers. Children's need for education is extremely high.

I strongly advocate for education, especially for children and girls. Somali children are at great risk of ignorance. And if this threat persists, it will lead us to a more dangerous place than where we are today.

The importance of education is not something to be talked about today. The first verse of the Qur'an was "read" which means do not be illiterate. And also the first five verses of the Qur'an were about education, reading, and writing.

Last year, I looked at the level of children's education, the slow pace, and the challenges. It turns out that most children are not educated for a number of reasons. There is no free primary education available to everyone, and you have to be able to pay the school tuition fee to study. In some areas, there are no learning centers. Most parents do not understand the value of education to their children and lack educational awareness. The government's role in education in some areas is lacking.

These children need to be educated, they need quality, accessible and equitable education. They need a unified curriculum that guides their learning (such as early childhood programs, kinder gardens, etc.) these are the most important places for children to build a better future. Not only do children get a classroom, they also need tools to build their brains to think critically and to recognize their talents and skills.

To the parents, most of our parents have not received an education, and yet some parents have the benefit of education and give their children comfort in what they are learning. Some parents also take their children to school to rest so as not to disturb them. I would advise them to force their children to study and encourage them that education is a lifesaver on the Day of Judgment and their world.

To the government, the government is a servant for the public. Any slowdown in society is attributed to the government whether it is education or the like. I would advise the government to ensure that Somali children receive a quality primary education, accessible to everyone, free of charge.