Somalia is set to expand its national curriculum to include Swahili, the widely spoken East African language, as part of efforts to strengthen regional integration. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made the declaration at an East African Community summit in Mogadishu, emphasizing that adopting the lingua franca is crucial for the country’s integration into the region. This initiative follows Somalia’s official entry into the regional trading bloc last year. Currently, English dominates secondary schools, while Arabic is the only other compulsory language. Education Minister Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir added that the government envisions Swahili becoming a key language for communication, trade, and learning nationwide. The policy capitalizes on Swahili’s growing presence within the country, fueled by returning diaspora and past interactions with East African peacekeeping forces.
BBC