Date of publication:

08/21/2025

Somalia

Do domestic laws and policies provide access to primary education for forcibly displaced and stateless persons?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

IDPs
Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Analysis

The Federal Government of Somalia and Somaliland have established domestic laws and policies that provide for compulsory and free primary education for all children, including those affected by displacement. These legal frameworks underscore the state’s responsibility to guarantee access to basic education as a fundamental right, and they explicitly extend to forcibly displaced persons (FDPs), including internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugee-returnees, and asylum seekers. In Somalia, the Education Act and the National Policy on Refugee-Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (2019) reinforce the commitment to universal primary education by mandating free and compulsory schooling for all children, without discrimination based on displacement status.

Similarly, in Somaliland, the Refugee and Asylum Seekers Act of 2023 and accompanying policy instruments ensure that refugee and displaced children are included in the national education system and are entitled to access public primary education on the same basis as citizens. These frameworks are supported by regional education sector plans that focus on expanding educational infrastructure, training teachers, and developing inclusive curricula to accommodate the needs of marginalized populations. The alignment of these national and regional efforts with international standards, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), reflects a unified commitment to ensuring that all children, regardless of legal status or background, benefit from free and compulsory primary education as a foundation for long-term development and protection.

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland
    • Year: 2001
    • Type: Domestic law
    • Rights Category: Asylum, Education, Freedom of movement, Health, Housing, land & property, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Work & Workplace rights, Family life, Documentation
    • Link to external source: https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2001/en/72769

    Legal provision

    Article 15.7 - Education, Youth and Sports

    The national policy is that primary education shall be free

    Constitution of Somalia
    • Year: 2012
    • Type: Domestic law
    • Rights Category: Asylum, Education, Freedom of movement, Health, Housing, land & property, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Work & Workplace rights, Family life, Documentation
    • Link to external source: https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2012/en/97615

    Legal provision

    Article 30 - Right to Education

    (1) Education is a basic right for all Somali citizens. (2) Every citizen shall have the right to free education up to secondary school.

    General Education Act
    • Year: 2021
    • Type: Domestic law
    • Rights Category: Education

    Legal provision

    Section 1- Right to Education

    Education is a fundamental human right for every Somali citizen. The State shall ensure the provision of free primary education to all citizens.

    Somaliland National Education Act

    Legal provision

    Section 14.1- Primary Education (Grade 1 - Grade 8)

    Primary education shall be compulsory and free.

    Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2022-2026)

    Legal provision

    Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2022-2026) - Generic

    Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2022-2026) - Generic

    National Education Policy

    Legal provision

    National Education Policy

    NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY - Generic