Farming, displacement, and education: A multilevel analysis of school attendance among Somali children using national survey data

Access to education in Somalia may be constrained by agrarian livelihoods and displacement. This study examines factors associated with school enrollment using nationally representative data. We analyzed SIHBS 2022 data for 10,511 school-aged children (6–18 years). Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression was used to model child, household (farming status, poverty, IDP status, gender, age), and regional influences on enrollment, with survey weights applied. Average marginal effects and ICCs were estimated. Approximately 87.35 % of children were reported as enrolled. Children from farming households were less likely to be enrolled (AOR=0.56; AME=−6.1pp), whereas children in IDP households appeared more likely to be enrolled (AOR=1.81; AME=+6.4pp). Female children tended to have lower enrollment (AOR=0.84; AME=−1.7pp), and older age was associated with lower enrollment (AOR=0.77 per year; AME=−2.4pp per year). Poverty did not show a statistically significant direct association. Clustering at the household level was substantial (ICC≈0.27), which may indicate the importance of family environments. These findings could suggest barriers linked to farming livelihoods and persistent gender- and age-related disparities, alongside potentially higher enrollment among children in IDP settings. Policy responses may benefit from household-proximate approaches that are sensitive to livelihood demands and gender/age dynamics, while carefully examining mechanisms that might enable enrollment in IDP contexts. Causal interpretations should be made cautiously given the cross-sectional design. • Multilevel analysis quantifies factors affecting Somali children's school attendance. • Farming households show significantly lower enrollment rates. • Internally Displaced Person (IDP) households exhibit higher enrollment likelihood. • Gender and age disparities persist, with girls and older children less likely to attend. • Household-level factors are primary drivers of attendance variation. • Findings inform targeted policy interventions for vulnerable groups in Somalia.