Candidate classes of Primary Eight and Senior Four are starting their national examination across the country amidst heavy surveillance to avert incidents of cheating and security breach.

A statement from the Ministry of General Education and Instruction dated February 4, 2021, revealed that the state had activated security mechanisms to secure examination, examiners and examinees.

The statement read: ‘‘…it is important for me to underscore that in this year 2020/2021 examination cycle, a lot of stringent security measures have been devised and put in place to curb malpractices in examinations and to ensure security examiners and examinees.’’

The minister in charge of education Awut Deng Acuil pledged in the statement that the South Sudan National Examination Council would be protected by the National Security and the police.

‘‘In the absence of police and security and security, nothing can guarantee the security and integrity of the examinations and thus such areas will be regarded as no-exams zones,’’ Aciul said.

The minister added that they had been alerted of possible security breaches and were doing everything possible to secure the process.