Hargeisa (SLpost)- The Somaliland Ministry of Education and Science is facing questions over a reported new system that would require public secondary schools to remit a percentage of the monthly fees collected from students to the ministry through a centralized digital platform.
According to information obtained from local media outlets, education authorities in Marodi-Jeh Region have introduced an application designed to facilitate the collection and transfer of student fees, with a portion of the money reportedly allocated to the ministry.
The development has raised concerns among school administrators over the management of funds that have traditionally been used directly by schools to cover essential operating costs.
Schools Collect Fees for Essential Services
Public secondary schools reportedly collect 140,000 Somaliland shillings per student each month from parents. The money is intended to support essential school operations, including teacher-related expenses, cleaning, electricity, water and other support services.
Under the reported new arrangement, 4.6 percent of the amount collected would be deducted and transferred to the Ministry of Education.
If the 4.6 percent figure is applied directly to the reported 140,000 Somaliland shillings, the deduction would amount to approximately 6,440 shillings per student per month.
However, information circulating about the system has also cited a figure of approximately 5,600 shillings per student. The discrepancy makes it important for the ministry to clarify the exact percentage, calculation method and amount to be transferred.
New Digital Collection System
The reported system is currently associated with the education administration in Marodi-Jeh Region, where an application has reportedly been developed to facilitate the collection and management of the fees.
Sources cited in the report say the Marodi-Jeh application could serve as a model for similar applications in other regions if the system is expanded nationwide.
The move would represent a significant change from the previous arrangement, under which school administrations managed the funds collected from students and used them to meet day-to-day operational requirements.
The reported change has therefore generated questions about whether the centralized collection mechanism could affect schools’ ability to finance essential services.
Questions Over Financial Management and Accountability
At the center of the controversy is the question of how the proposed deduction would be managed and accounted for.
If a percentage of school fees is transferred to the ministry, several issues require clarification, including the legal basis for the deduction, the purpose of the funds, and the mechanism through which the money will be monitored and reported.
Among the key questions are:
- What legal or administrative instrument authorizes the 4.6 percent deduction?
- How exactly will the percentage be calculated?
- Who will control the funds collected through the digital platform?
- What specific programs or services will the ministry finance with the money?
- Will schools receive equivalent resources to compensate for the reduction in funds available to them?
- What safeguards will ensure transparent accounting of the revenue?
- Have school administrators and parents been formally informed about the new arrangement?
These questions are particularly significant because the fees are reportedly being used to finance basic services that directly affect students and the daily operation of public schools.
Potential Financial Impact
Even a relatively small deduction per student could generate a substantial amount when applied across thousands of students.
For example, a deduction of 5,600 Somaliland shillings per student would generate 560,000,000 shillings for every 100,000 students per month, before accounting for any exemptions or differences in collection. This amount is equivalent to approximately 51 thousand U.S. Dollars per month.
This makes transparency over the collection mechanism and the destination of the funds particularly important.
The reported system could potentially provide the education authorities with a more centralized way of tracking school-fee revenues. At the same time, critics may question whether centralizing part of the funds could reduce the financial flexibility of individual schools to respond to immediate operational needs.
Ministry Response Needed
The Ministry of Education and Science has yet to publicly clarify, in the information available for this report, the precise details of the reported 4.6 percent deduction, including its legal basis, implementation timetable and financial-management procedures.
A formal explanation from the ministry would help distinguish between an administrative reform intended to improve financial oversight and concerns that the system could divert resources away from schools.
