Authority in Unity State worries that at least two hundred and eight senior candidates are likely to miss the national examination next week, 20 April 22. It says students from three counties, including Koch, Mayardit, and Panyijiar, will not be able to access the examination center location in Bentiu town due to floods and conflict in the Southern part of the state.
State Minister of Education & Instruction Hon. Stephen Tot Chieng has called for new centers in those three areas to ensure students sit for the exam. Unity state has three examination centers in Leer, Bentiu, and Mayom.
Mr. Tot says the candidates from Mayendit, and Koch cannot take their exams at the center in Leer due to recent communal violence that could risk the students’ lives.
“The current fighting will prevent the candidates from sitting in Leer. Although Leer is closer to those of Mayendit and Koch, due to the recent fighting, the candidates fear their lives because the fighting was between the communities,” he said.
According to the education official, Panyijiar has registered 149 candidates, 34 in Mayendit, and Koch has twenty-five students.
The Minister appealed to the examination committee to consider the Unity State situation.
“The national examination committee should approve a center for Mayendit, Panyijiar, and Koch, and that’s why there are commissioners in those places. We trust the commissioners together with organized forces to look at those centers to avoid exam malpractice,”
He further called for the intervention of the revitalized peace agreement’ principals (Kiir & Machar) to stop the fighting so that the exam atmosphere to be conducive in South Unity.
State officials said 303 primary eight candidates missed the national examination this year, and their fate is not yet decided.
Ustaz. Simon Nyok Deng, Secretary General of the Examination Council says the time is short to creates new centres.
He says examinational papers will be transport to Bentiu next week and authority should find alterative ways to arrange for the candidates from those affected areas.
The examination for Certification of Secondary Education (CSE) is expects to commence on Wednesday, 20 April 2022 countrywide.