Primary leaving examinations kicked off in Western Bahr El-Ghazal state on Thursday with especially low participation of female students in Jur River County.
Dr. Adel Atanasio, the state minister of education for Western Bahr al-Ghazal, told Radio Tamazuj from Wau town that the examinations started in all the three counties of the state, Jur River, Wau, and Raja.
He revealed that the numbers of students sitting from the three counties are 3905 students, with 8 testing centres in Wau County, 7 in Jur River and 5 in Raja County.
The minister said that the total numbers of boys sitting for the exams is 2455, or 63% of test takers, and girls are 1450, 37%.
Atanasio further acknowledged the reduction of the number of female students sitting for the examinations this year from Jur River County, where only 16 females students are acknowledged to be sitting for the exams. He attributed the low participation of female students to early marriage.
He affirmed that the authorities, local activists and some parents are exerting considerable effort to improve girls’ education in the area.