Somaliland: National Curriculum director fired over controversial syllabus

Abdilahi Yasin Diriye  Somaliland’s Director of National Curriculum was on Thursday given the sack over a controversial new syllabus which the Minister of Education accused him of presenting whereby he recommended new textbooks and writings against the Islamic religion and culture.

‘Accusing me of trying to replace the national curricula with a new one full of ideology against Islam and the culture is baseless; I apologised myself because Somaliland people know me quite well,  I am not the type of person the minister is wrongly trying to portray,’ said the ex-director Abdilahi Diriye.

After Somaliland’s Minister of Education Ahmed Mohamed Diriye relieved the director of his duties; he affirmed that,  I oppose the minister imposing  new course books with Chinese (Mandarine) and French language on secondary schools. I resisted and told him, the curriculum should be a bottom-down approach not vice versa,’ he said. ‘You have to consult with the people from all walks of life in Somaliland because the coursebooks belong to them,’ he continued.

The embattled ex-director however claimed that the textbook which the minister insists to have violated the religion is supplementary and only part in consonance with the religion and culture were to be taught to the students. He emphasised that the minister is aware of the fact that the book has been reviewed and rewritten to expunge all parts contradictory to the faith. However, both versions; edited and unedited are still available.