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“A Foundation Year should not be measured by enrolment or certificates, but by the knowledge, confidence and skills students actually gain.” Liban Hassan Mohamed
Imagine a Somali student who has just completed secondary school and is preparing to enter university. After years of education, the student is told to complete a Foundation Year before beginning a degree programme. The purpose is clear: to strengthen academic skills, improve English proficiency and prepare students for university-level learning.
However, an important question remains: what happens when the programme itself is not delivered according to consistent academic standards?
Some students have expressed concerns about the English component, arguing that lessons are too basic and sometimes remain at an elementary ABC level. For students who have completed secondary education, this raises questions about whether the programme is genuinely improving their language abilities.
This is precisely why Somalia must pay serious attention to how the Foundation Year is designed, delivered and supervised.
The Ministry of Education’s decision to introduce a Foundation Year is an important step towards improving the transition from secondary school to university. However, announcing a programme and ensuring its success are two different responsibilities.
Beyond determining its duration and subjects, the Ministry must establish clear answers to several questions. What curriculum should universities follow? What level of English should students achieve? What qualifications should lecturers possess? How will the quality of teaching be assessed?
Without clear national standards, universities may interpret the policy differently, select their own learning materials and deliver courses according to institutional preferences.
Consequently, students completing the same Foundation Year at different universities could emerge with significantly different academic abilities.
A national programme should provide students with a common academic foundation, regardless of which university they attend.
One of the biggest challenges facing the Foundation Year is the need for a clearly established and consistently implemented national curriculum.
This is particularly important for English. Some students are concerned that lessons offered through the programme are below their existing level. Others expect more advanced instruction that prepares them for academic reading, writing, research and classroom discussions.
These concerns deserve attention. The programme should identify students’ actual learning needs and help them reach appropriate academic standards, rather than simply delivering basic material to everyone.
A national curriculum would establish expected proficiency levels and define the standards students should achieve before entering university. It would also allow institutions to assess students against common learning outcomes.
Without such a framework, one university might offer elementary English while another provides advanced academic language training. Students would then complete the same national programme with different levels of proficiency.
This matters because Somali students sometimes face questions about their English proficiency and previous education when seeking admission or further studies abroad.
A properly designed Foundation Year should help address these concerns and strengthen the international credibility of Somalia’s higher education system.
The success of any academic programme depends heavily on those delivering it.
Classrooms, timetables and examinations do not automatically guarantee quality education. Lecturers must possess appropriate academic qualifications, subject knowledge and teaching experience.
Should an English course be assigned to any available university employee, or to someone with an academic background in English language, linguistics, English education or a related discipline?
The same principle applies to other Foundation Year subjects.
Concerns have been raised about institutions assigning courses to lecturers whose qualifications or professional experience may not match the subjects they teach. Administrative employees may also receive additional teaching responsibilities simply because they are available.
University staff can contribute to teaching when properly qualified. However, filling timetables or reducing institutional costs must never take priority over students’ education.
The Ministry should establish minimum lecturer qualification requirements and ensure that universities comply with them.
Effective monitoring is another essential responsibility.
Issuing guidelines is insufficient if universities are expected to implement them without meaningful oversight.
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Regular inspections should verify whether institutions follow approved curricula, employ qualified lecturers, complete required teaching hours and conduct fair examinations.
The Higher Education Commission also has an important role. Improving educational standards should involve universities, education professionals and the wider academic community, rather than government institutions alone.
Professional consultation can identify weaknesses, encourage accountability and generate practical solutions.
The Ministry should strengthen its university inspection system to ensure that academic standards are maintained consistently across institutions.
Quality assurance should extend beyond the Foundation Year to university education more broadly.
Students deserve reliable academic calendars, sufficient teaching hours and examinations that reflect what they have actually been taught.
Concerns arise when examinations follow unusually short periods of instruction or when additional financial charges appear to influence academic arrangements.
Not every university operates this way. Nevertheless, the Ministry should ensure transparency in tuition fees and additional charges.
Academic calendars, teaching schedules and examinations must be organised around educational requirements, not financial considerations.
The Foundation Year must never become another opportunity for institutions to collect fees without delivering the education students expect.
Five measures are essential to the programme’s success.
First, establish a national curriculum. Universities should follow common learning objectives, approved teaching materials and minimum academic standards, particularly in English proficiency.
Second, introduce minimum lecturer qualifications. Courses should be taught by professionals whose academic backgrounds and experience match their subjects.
Third, strengthen university inspections. The Ministry should regularly review teaching activities, visit institutions and verify compliance with programme requirements.
Fourth, introduce measurable assessment standards. Students should be evaluated on demonstrated knowledge and abilities, rather than attendance alone.
Finally, involve universities and education professionals. The Higher Education Commission, university representatives, lecturers and curriculum specialists should work together to improve implementation and protect academic quality.
These measures would help transform the Foundation Year from an administrative requirement into a meaningful educational programme.
Somalia does not need a Foundation Year simply because other countries have similar programmes. It needs one because students deserve to enter university with the knowledge, confidence and academic skills necessary to succeed.
Students completing the programme should be able to understand lectures, read academic materials, write assignments, participate in discussions and conduct basic research.
The Ministry must establish standards that make these outcomes possible. Universities must recognise that their responsibility extends beyond registering students and completing the programme. They must deliver measurable educational results.
Ultimately, success should not be measured by how many universities introduce the Foundation Year, how many students enrol or how many certificates are issued. It should be measured by what students can actually do after completing it.
The programme offers an opportunity to address longstanding concerns about the quality of Somali education, particularly the English proficiency of graduates seeking further education abroad.
But this opportunity will only be realised through a common curriculum, qualified lecturers, consistent supervision and genuine cooperation between the Ministry, the Higher Education Commission and universities.
Somalia does not simply need more educational programmes. It needs programmes that deliver what they promise and produce graduates capable of competing nationally and internationally.
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*Liban Hassan Mohamed is a senior university lecturer and public relations professional.
**The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Dawan Africa.