Somali public education has suffered from conflict and instability. Less than 20% of primary-aged children attend school. OLE Somalia is creating an Open Learning Network to solve this problem. Volunteer Community Leaders in five Somali villages will use OLE's low cost digital server with 10" tablets to provide more than 1,200 young learners and their families access to thousands of open educational materials and courses. The pilots' results will be used to expand the Network for all Somalis.
Education is required for Somalis to build their futures and rebuild their communities and nation. However their schools are failing. This is because three quarters of public schools have been destroyed, qualified teachers are scarce and primary enrollment rates hover below 20%. Students suffer from severe shortages and student-teacher ratios well over 40 to 1. Thus entire Somali communities and Somalia as a nation are at risk since they lack the educated citizens they must have to survive.
Communities will use the Open Learning Network to improve the quality of their schools. The Network will be staffed by skilled coaches and tech geniuses who support teachers and students of all ages - pre-school to elderly. Community Centers are connected with low cost digital libraries and color tablets working off or on the Internet. Students access a vast database of multi-media, multi-lingual open resources. They are connected with each other, sharing resources among communities.
The Network enables communities to increase the supply and diversity of educated citizens required for them to thrive. Communities will improve the quality of their schools and thus ensure a well-educated citizenry, especially for those most at risk: children, youth, girls, women, elders. Since a well-rounded education is basic to a thriving society, such communities improve their health, nutrition, income, art, leisure, conflict resolution, security and their understanding of global issues.
