Elm Schools

Elm School is the first of its kind in Somaliland. We are zealous and ambitious because we carry a heavy responsibility. It is our responsibility to educate and equip our students with the necessary skills to become the future leaders and builders of Somaliland. We teach our students to hold the strong belief that it is 'today we create the Somaliland of the future'. As a small primary school at the heart of Hargeisa facing the challenges that arise from an unrecognized State and little international aid, we are proud to educate the children to the highest level and inspire them to think beyond the challenges. Here in Somaliland as a result of a weak Government and little aid for schools, public education is poor and the illiteracy rate still reminds very high. (Many argue it is 70%) In the private sector there are schools being forced to comply with a business managerial ideology that has all but crushed the common sense and creativity of innovative teachers and schools. These schools are run like business and little value is based on education and the people. Between the public system and the private sector schools there are millions of parents and children that are frustrated with the lack of a decent education. Elm School reclaims education and schools as democratic learning communities based on shared values and teaching beliefs that realise the gifts and talents of all students. Our school is ran on a personal level, we have a strong parents' committee, who are informed and also included of most major decision making. School Objectives: Our institution is ours to create, our learning is ours to define, the leadership we seek is ours to become.

Our achievements so far and goals for the future: The school started off with a small number of like minded parents coming together and renting a building and hiring couple of teachers in 2007. Today it has over 600 students and 26 teachers in two sites. Our lower school starts from Kindergarten level one to Kindergarten three (age range 3-5). The Primary, our upper school, has recently been built a two level floor school, with excellent facilities. The Primary is from grade 1 to 6. We teach in two languages, Arabic and English. Our older students are confident speakers in both languages. We follow the Kenya and Somaliland curriculum with the intention of registering the school to teach the International Baccalaureate Primary Years syllabus in the near future. We are also a teacher training school, all of our teachers and assistances get regular Professional training to enhance their teaching skills and professional skills. We intend to offer education studies and child development courses to our staff as the school grows. The need for able, educated and qualified teachers is desperate.