Abaarso School of Science and Technology

The non-profit American school in Somalia where over 350 students from the country’s most remote areas have matriculated to top international universities

Abaarso School of Science and Technology, a charitable secondary school in Abaarso, Maroodi Jeex, Somalia, is unlocking life-changing opportunities for young people from some of the most underserved communities in the Horn of Africa by combining rigorous academics, English immersion, and leadership development within its boarding environment. In the severely underserved region, learners often come from nomadic backgrounds of extreme hardship and economic distress. Many arrive from temporary homes without running water or electricity; others come from transient communities and have never spoken a word of English. Some have never seen a computer before or been in a student-centred classroom environment.

To help students overcome these challenges of poverty, instability, educational disadvantage, and geographic isolation, the school operates with a highly rigorous six-day academic schedule supported by a student-centred pedagogical approach that includes a strong emphasis on character development driven by a focus on core values, student-centred learning, and service orientation that encourages leadership skills development. For learners who have been in other educational facilities before, many have been in teacher-centred environments where rote memorisation dominated classroom learning, meaning they need additional support through a major adjustment period as they transition into a system focused on participation, inquiry, and independent thought. Students learn in a full English-immersion environment while studying advanced mathematics, science, and internationally competitive academic content designed to prepare them for top global universities.

Beyond academics, students also participate in advisory programming, tutoring sessions, leadership activities, clubs, sports, and community service projects that help them develop socially and personally. High school students are given the opportunity to teach free primary classes for children from the surrounding village community, helping them build leadership and service skills while reinforcing their own learning.

The lean teaching model sees leaders and administrators becoming involved in classrooms where they provide intensive academic support, advisory programming, and tutoring, while also playing mentorship roles to help students close severe learning gaps while adapting to English immersion.

Parents are also deeply involved in helping students adapt to the demands of the boarding environment, and the school’s governing board is made up entirely of local families, many of whom maintain direct relationships with students and the wider school community.

Through this holistic support approach, more than 350 students have matriculated to top international universities, including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge, securing scholarships worth more than $55 million. Between 90% and 95% of alumni complete their university degrees within four years, despite many entering the school academically several grade levels behind. The Ministry of Education recently held a press conference recognising this as a historic achievement.

Each year, thousands of students sit for the school’s free entrance examination, with outreach conducted across the country, with around 40 to 50 students admitted.

One of the school’s best-known success stories is a student who arrived from a nomadic community in rural Ethiopia without speaking English, having never used a computer and reportedly not seeing a car until he was 10 years old. Four years later, he graduated with a full scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, later completing a master’s degree in engineering before returning to contribute locally.

Teachers operate under exceptionally demanding conditions, often working seven days a week within one of the world’s most resource-constrained educational environments. Despite this, they find the experience highly rewarding and many transition into leadership roles such as director or co-head positions.

The school has also built a long-term sustainability model through its alumni network, with graduates increasingly returning as teachers, mentors, and leaders within the institution itself. Alumni now make up approximately 30% of the faculty, with the school aiming to increase this to 50% over time.