Somalia: Puntland President behind Crisis in Education Ministry

GAROWE, Puntland - The crisis in Puntland's Education Ministry has reached its peak after President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali "Gaas" appointed Yasin Abdi Saed as the State Minister for Education August 7, 2017, Garowe Online reports.

The President has intervened in growing dispute he created between the top officials of the Ministry.

The State Minister who is a close relative and ally of President Ali has been previously ejected from the Upper House Chamber of Somalia's current Federal Parliament and replaced with a woman following a controversy.

Saed also became a member of the 9th Somali Parliament and he is believed to have voted for Ali during 2012 Presidential election which won by former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

-Saed's power in the Ministry of Education'

The State President granted Saed and the deputy Minister of Education Mohamed Ali Farah a broad authority in maintaining the operations of the Ministry after sacking the Minister Abshir Aw Yusuf Isse on Dec 11, 2017.

Yasin Abdi Saed has been given an authority to carry out the main tasks of the Ministry of Education such as planning, checking out, implementing and monitoring the projects that are fully based on financial issues.

President Ali has authorized the deputy Minister to run the administrative and educational decisions, including the foreign Scholarships intended for Puntland students.

In the statement dated Dec 11, 2011, released by the Presidency, did not mention the Education Minister's power while Saed is indirectly handling all activities.

Members of Puntland Parliament hailing from Sanaag region held talks with the state leader on the nepotism engulfing the Ministry of Education and called on him to reverse the decision giving power to Saed and Farah.

GO has obtained leaked confidential documents exchanged between the Minister of education, the State Minister, and the deputy Minister which give directives to the General Director of the Ministry.

A statement signed by the State Minister and Deputy Minister of Education dated January 2, 2017, was a response to a prior one requesting for information from the Director-General.

The statement intimidates the Director-General not to disclose the secret of the Ministry. It is not known why the two officials expressed fear that this information would go out if they knew that the move would be legal.

On January 7, 2017, the Minister of Education sent a letter d to the Director-General and all executives of the all departments in which he notified g them

In a memo dated January 7, 2017, Isse has ordered the Ministry's Directorate General not fulfill any orders without his consent, but, can share the general information with his deputy and the State Ministers.

The crisis management surrounding the Ministry of Education has impacted its services to the people of Puntland, especially the students and teachers at schools across the regions of the State.

GAROWE ONLINE