MNPS-Somalia

1. H U R I Y O M U H U D I N , M A D I N A H U S S E I N , A N D
F A D U M O I B R A H I M
Culture Exchange
Somalia

2. Objectives
 Learn about the school and home culture of
Somalia
 Discuss the experience of families living in
the US as immigrants
 Discuss what we can do to better serve our
EL and NELB Families.

3. Geography and Population
• Population of 10 million (many more
Somalis in surrounding countries)
• Bordered by Ethiopia
and Kenya

4. Current Situation
 Since the Civil War began in the late 80’s and early
90’s, there has been very little infrastructure in
Somalia.
 Right now there is no highway system, no public
schools, etc…
 A new Government is trying to improve the
conditions in the country, but it is a huge struggle

5. Basic Information
 Northern Somalia was originally colonized by the
British. It is largely desert, and is slightly more
developed and has an economy based on business.
 Southern Somalia was originally colonized by Italy.
It is less developed and is based more on agriculture.
Mogadishu

6. Family Structure
 Family is very important, and extended families stick
together. They live very close to each other, and often in
the same home.
 Once women are married, they usually move out to start
their own home, but men stay in the family home even after
marriage.
 In most situations, the men work and the women raise the
children and take care of the home. In wealthier
families, the women may work and the family will hire a
nanny/maid, or rely on family members to help with the
children.

7. General School Information
 Attendance is not mandatory
 Only big cities had public schools (now there are no
public schools)
 Six hours a day (7 AM – 1 PM)
 No Kindergarten
 Students sometimes start at different ages, but they
always start as 1st graders
 40 students in one class
 Structured as Elementary, Middle, and High School
(4 years each)

8. General School Information
 No transportation
 No school lunch, but you can buy snacks
 No libraries in schools, but the cities have public libraries
 They give you textbooks, but they stay at school
 Very teacher centered—all direct instruction
 Students stay in their own class, and the teacher rotates
to the different classes
 Responsibility of the school to discipline the child.
 No homework is ever given in Somalia.
 Only involved in school when situations are very serious.

9. MNPS Students
 Very few (approximately 5%-10%) of the students we
serve have ever lived in Somalia.
 Approximately 50% were born in the U.S.
 Other students lived in Refugee camps and cities (in
a few cases) in either Kenya or Ethiopia.
Dadaab Refugee Camp

10. Special Education/Student Services
 Any student with any type of special need or learning
delay does not attend school
 Report cards issued twice a year
 Students are retained if they fail a class—it doesn’t
matter how old they are.

11. Bantu Somalis
 Bantu tribe is from the South, and has a history of
being an overlooked ethnic minority.
 There are many Bantu Somalis who live in Nashville
and whose children attend MNPS schools.
 There are differences in how these families approach
school and culture.

12. Cultural Differences
 Communication
 Exchange of money (both here and to Somalia)

13. Quick Language Lesson
Hello A salam alaikum
How are you? Saay ta hi
Good Ve ahn
My name is ___________ Maga iego ___________
Thank you Mahad sanid
Welcome So da who
Nice to meet Bara show wan axint