Exploring socio-demographic factors associated with school attendance in Somaliland: A multilevel analysis

Despite persistent educational challenges in Somaliland, nationally representative evidence on factors associated with school attendance remains limited. Regular school attendance is a cornerstone of Sustainable Development Goal 4, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This study investigates socio-demographic factors associated with ever attending school in Somaliland. Using secondary data from the nationally representative 2020 Somaliland Demographic and Health Survey (SDHS), a multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted on a weighted sample of 4074 respondents, capturing influences at individual, household, and community levels. Findings indicate a substantial educational gap, with 56.97% of respondents having never attended school, while 43.03% had attended at least once. The multilevel analysis (Model 3) identified key predictors of ever attending school. Female respondents had 46% lower odds of ever attending school compared with males (AOR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.46–0.62; p < 0.001). Respondents in households headed by older adults (55+ years) were significantly less likely to have ever attended school than those with younger household heads (AOR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.60–0.90; p = 0.004). Additionally, residing in high-poverty communities significantly reduced the likelihood of ever attending school (AOR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.08–0.16; p < 0.001). These findings highlight substantial disparities in educational access driven by gender, household characteristics, and community-level poverty. Addressing these inequalities requires targeted interventions to promote gender equity, support vulnerable households, and reduce community-level poverty to improve equitable access to education in Somaliland.