Bar ama Baro (“Teach or Learn”)

  • P Project/Program

A Active

Key Information

With 70 percent of Somali school-age children out of school, Bar ama Baro is committed to expanding access to quality accelerated basic education in Somalia that is aligned with the formal primary system. Somalia has begun to plan for a brighter future for its 4.7 million school-age children. With a new national curriculum and Education Sector Strategic Plan that sets a stronger, inclusive vision for education, it has begun to tackle the challenging issues facing out-of-school children and youth.  

The U.S Agency for International Development’s five-year Bar ama Baro (“Teach or Learn” in English) is a comprehensive primary education program designed to support the government of Somalia’s efforts to create safe learning spaces and where students can improve literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills. Bar ama Baro’s efforts build on Somalia’s new national curriculum, Education Sector Strategic Plan and National Development Plan-9. 

Working at both the national and local level, Bar ama Baro systematically and strategically assists government and community actors to design and deliver comprehensive, non-formal accelerated education to marginalized children across the country. The program directly supports the government in policy and program design, while also rolling out implementation in eight districts, with the goal of reaching approximately 100,000 school children. 

By designing and delivering programming and supporting systemic policy changes, Bar ama Baro and its diverse pool of partners aim to expand curriculum, extend service reach and strengthen learning support to ensure that all children, and especially marginalized children, will be able to access equitable, safe and conflict-sensitive education. 


Lead Implementing Organization(s)

Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Somalia

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2019 - 2024

Partner(s)

ORB International, Charlie Goldsmith, SIL LEAD, Formal Education Network for Private Schools, Hano Academy, Himilo Relief and Development Association (HIRDA)

Ministry Affiliation

Federal Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education

COVID-19 Response

Unknown

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Primary completion
  • Primary enrollment

Other skills

  • Social and emotional learning

Skills

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy

Cross-cutting areas

  • Gender equality
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Boys out of school, Girls out of school

Age

8 - 15

School Enrolment Status

All out of school

School Level

  • Lower primary
  • Upper primary

Other populations reached

Not applicable or unknown

Participants include

Not applicable or unknown

Program Approaches Back to Top

School-related gender-based violence

  • Safe and welcoming schools

Teaching

  • Teaching materials (e.g. lesson plans, curricula)

Tutoring/strengthening academic skills

  • Literacy - outside the classroom
  • Numeracy - outside the classroom

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
  • Improved social and emotional learning/skills and mindsets
  • Increased enrolment in primary school
  • Increased literacy
  • Increased numeracy
  • Increased primary school completion
  • Increased re-enrolment in school among out-of-school children

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms