The Ministry of Education (as it was referred to then) was first established in the year 1960 during the reign of the late Hon. Prime Minister Abdirashid Ali Sharmake. During that time, the ministry was headed by Hon. Minister Ali Garaad Jaamac.

 After a period of ten years with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education was introduced for the first time ever, and Hon. Sharif Salah Mohamed was appointed as the Minister of Culture and Higher Education.

Decades of civil war almost destroyed the functionality of public institutions, including educational centers. During this period, the private sector was in the front line to fill the gap left by the government. However, in 2000, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education were later revived, and it regained its mandate to deliver education services in the country.

The two ministries were officially joined as one single ministry during the reign of prime minister Hon. Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo in 2010, and were named as the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education with Hon. Abdinor Sheikh Mohamed.

It is important to note that during the time of Abdi Farah (Shirdoon) in 2012, there existed the Ministry of Community Service Development with Hon. Maryan Qassim as the new Minister. At that time, the Ministry of Education was a department within the Ministry of Community Service Development.