South Sudanese secondary school students will begin sitting examinations at different sits across the country on 16 December, the examinations council said.

Simon Nyok Deng, the secretary general for the national examinations council, said on Friday that the number of eligible students for this year’s secondary school leaving exams reached 27,145 students with girls numbering 7,763 and boys 19,382. 

Deng noted that exam papers will reach various areas in the country except for Latjor and Maiwut States where there are no students sitting there.

“Latjor and Maiwut have not presented their candidates due to the closure of schools during the conflict. They are now reopening the schools and they have no candidates who are prepared for the exams,” he explained.

The education official further said exams will be carried out from 261 centres. Deng underscored that the government has secured all examination centres across the country.

He denied reports that the exam papers were leaked, saying the examinations are guarded by disciplined national security officers.

“I would like to assure our examinees, their parents, stakeholders and the general public that the national examinations in the Republic of South Sudan are treated as high stake examinations and therefore they are guarded by a well-disciplined team of national security and police,” he explained.

Since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013, South Sudan has been confronted with many challenges, particularly large population displacements, chronic hyperinflation, civil unrest and food insecurity.

In this volatile environment, the already fragile education system has deteriorated at both the system and service delivery levels and is characterized by poor educational outcomes and high numbers of out-of-school children.