Puntland Government Plans to Introduce Free Primary and Intermediate Education

Garowe (WDN) — Puntland is preparing to remove one of the biggest barriers keeping children from school, with the government announcing plans to make primary and intermediate education free across the region, potentially bringing immediate financial relief to thousands of families once the policy takes effect.

Puntland Interior Minister Abdi Hersi Ali (Qarjab) said the government is moving quickly to implement the policy, which would eliminate school fees for children at the primary and intermediate levels. “The government is currently working to make primary and intermediate schools free of charge throughout Puntland, and we hope to implement this soon,” Minister Qarjab said during an event in Garowe.

The policy is expected to have its greatest immediate impact on orphans and low-income families, many of whom struggle to keep their children in school because they cannot afford tuition and other education costs.

For a poor household, removing school fees can mean the difference between a child attending school and staying at home. If implemented as announced, the policy could therefore put basic education within reach of children who have been excluded simply because their families cannot afford it.