Somali Interactive Radio Instruction Program (SIRIP)

The Somali Interactive Radio Instruction Program (SIRIP) provides high-quality interactive audio programs to Somali children attending formal, non-governmental, Quranic and community schools. With the assistance of the audio programs, teachers lead the classes and are thus trained in interactive teaching methods which include stories, activities, educational songs and other forms of active learning pedagogy. Supplemental materials accompany the programs, providing schools with the resources to support sound, primary-level instruction. In addition to basic reading and math in Somali, the programs contain life skills content such as health, conflict prevention and mediation and emphasize the education of girls. Since it began in 2005, SIRIP has reached over 300,000 children in grades 1 through 5. During the past year, SIRIP has reached an additional 25,000 previously out-of-school children through 245 new educational centers. The Somali Readers Series has provided previously unavailable children’s books and sponsored a very popular nationwide writing contest. Somalis and non-Somalis throughout the diaspora are invited to support the project from our website: http://idd.edc.org/donate/.