This study explores practical federal models for education within the post-conflict context of Somalia. It notes that there is no uniform federal model for education, as such models are influenced by various social, cultural, historical, geographical, and economic factors. Some federal systems employ decentralized models for education, while others feature more centralized approaches. The Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC) of 2012 defines education as a concurrent power between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and its Federal Member States (FMS), based on the principle of subsidiarity. This arrangement assigns limited administrative functions to the federal government, with states taking primary responsibility for the delivery of educational services. Despite proposals for several educational delivery modalities, no specific federal model has yet been adopted. This study raises questions about how to organize and transform fragmented educational structures into a harmonized and standardized system, develop sustainable governance and financing mechanisms, and learn from federal models elsewhere that could be adapted to Somalia’s context.
