(MENAFN) Somalia plans to add Swahili, the widely spoken language of East Africa, to its national education curriculum, the president announced. Currently, English serves as the primary language of instruction in secondary schools, while Arabic is the only other compulsory second language.

Speaking at a summit of the East African Community (EAC) in Mogadishu, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Swahili should also be taught in schools and universities. "The country's universities, especially the Somali National University, should focus more on developing the Swahili language, which is the language of East Africa," he stated. "Adopting Swahili is important for our integration into the region."

Education Minister Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir highlighted the government’s ambitious plans for the language’s adoption nationwide. "We want to see Swahili become a language of communication, trade and learning - even replacing English during our next conference," he said.

Swahili is already spoken in southern coastal areas and has grown in use across Somalia in recent years, partly due to the civil war that began in 1991. Many refugees who fled to Kenya learned Swahili through the local education system, and some have returned with fluency. The presence of African Union troops from East African countries since 2007 has also contributed to the language’s spread.

Prior to 2016, Arabic was the primary language in junior schools, with English used at higher levels. Today, Somali is taught at primary schools, English continues at secondary and tertiary levels, and Arabic remains part of religious instruction in madrassas.

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