Activity Overview

Bar ama Baro aims to increase access to quality education for a targeted number of out-of-school children and youth of ages approximately 8-15 in targeted regions of Somalia.  Bar ama Baro will increase student enrollment in accelerated education centers (AE), improve student safety, monitor improvements in literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills among students in these AE centers, and improve the Federal Government of Somalia’s capacity to standardize and regulate the accelerated education space.

Somalia hosts one of the world’s most significant out-of-school populations, with roughly 3 million out of 5 million children and youth of school-age not in school.  More than two decades of conflict have nearly destroyed Somalia’s educational system, which is characterized by poor quality, insufficient numbers of qualified teachers, and inadequate resources.  From November 2016 to August 2017 alone, close to 50,000 children lost the opportunity to go to school due to displacement from drought. Conflict and periodic floods also displace many children and youth.

Activity Areas

Bar ama Baro aims to deliver quality education to over-aged out-of-school children by enabling them to reintegrate into the formal education system or complete a partial or full cycle of basic education in a compressed fashion.  Bar ama Baro’s accelerated education is consistent with the vision stated in Somalia’s national education priorities.  

Bar ama Baro will provide relevant, flexible, safe and quality education opportunities for out-of-school children and youth in Somalia, focusing on improving student learning outcomes in reading, numeracy and socio-emotional learning.  Particular attention will be paid to fostering positive gender norms for girls and boys, including a highlighted attention on girls’ access to and safety in schools. Bar ama Baro will also provide technical assistance and build partnerships with federal, state, regional and local Ministry of Education counterparts to deliver, monitor and regulate accredited and flexible education opportunities to out-of-school children and youth.  The suite of interventions will ultimately promote stability during a key transition period in Somalia through giving out-of-school children and youth the education they deserve.