Baidoa, Somalia – The President of Southwest State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a new Teacher Training Center in Baidoa, a major initiative aimed at strengthening the education sector across the region.
The project is being implemented with the support of the federal Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education. Once completed, the facility will serve as a hub for professional development, offering modern training programs for new and existing teachers in Southwest State.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Laftagareen emphasized the vital role of educators in nation-building and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in human capital.
“This center marks a turning point for our education system. By equipping teachers with modern skills and methodologies, we are directly improving the quality of education for our children,” he said.
Officials from the federal and regional education ministries, local administrators, community leaders, and educators attended the event. They hailed the initiative as a long-overdue investment in the capacity of the teaching workforce.
The new center will feature lecture halls, digital learning resources, and residential facilities. It is expected to help standardize teacher qualifications, reduce the shortage of trained educators, and promote inclusive education across Southwest State.
The initiative aligns with Somalia’s broader education development goals under the National Education Policy and the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP), which prioritize teacher training as a cornerstone for long-term learning improvements.