Primary leaving examinations kicked off in South Sudan, including Abyei area on Monday. A total of 56,787 pupils from 1,254 primary schools are sitting this year’s examinations.
Addressing reporters in Juba on Monday, the Secretary General of the National Examinations Council, Simon Nyok Deng said 21,962 of the eligible candidates are girls.
“We have quite a significant number of candidates that increased from 48,000 to 56,787 this year of which 21,962 are girls, which is very good for this country,” Nyok said.
He further said all the necessary preparations were done and the examinations are being protected by security organs. “I am very hopeful that the security of the exams will be ensured,” he added.
The official attributed the increase in the number of pupils to the relative peace, particularly in Greater Upper Nile region. “We are now able to have 611 candidates sitting in Latjor and the surrounding areas, and Maiwut State which has never had candidates since 2013,” he said.
“This is very good for this country and it is a sign of peace”, he added.
Meanwhile, the education official said heavy floods in some parts of the country, especially in Upper Nile region, affected the distribution of exam papers.
According to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), more than 908,000 people have been affected by heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding, of whom 620,000 needed humanitarian assistance.
Late last month, President Salva Kiir declared a state of emergency in the flood-affected areas.