Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced an urgent plan to include Swahili in the official curriculum of schools and universities in the country.
The move is part of Somalia’s efforts to strengthen cultural, educational and trade integration with East Africa, following its official accession to the East African Community (EAC) in 2024.
Speaking at the 2nd East African Community Conference (EACON2025) in Mogadishu, the President called for Somali universities to take the lead in teaching and using Swahili.
“The Somali National University and all universities in the country should take the lead in teaching Swahili, the unifying language of the East African region,” said President Hassan Sheikh.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Farah Sheikh Abdikadir, said the government is working to promote the teaching of Swahili in collaboration with educational institutions in the region.
“We want Swahili to be the language of education, business and communication. We even aim to hold such conferences in Swahili in the future instead of English,” the Minister said.
The newly established National Commission for Higher Education is working closely with the East African Universities Association and the EAC Educational Standards Framework to implement this plan.
