Over 1,000 Primary Eight candidates in SPMLM-IO areas sat for their national examinations under a contingency arrangement by the Ministry of General Education and Instruction and the National Examination Council.

According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), which airlifted the exam materials, 1,732 students from six counties finished the examinations on Friday, February 19. The areas were Akobo, Ayod, Fangak (old and new), Nyirol, Nasir, Longechuk and Tonj East. 

The City Review can now reveal how defying the odds to examine the learners was a winding route dotted with blames, consultations and haggling from outside the government. 

It began with a communication from the ministry that learners in Longochuk, Akobo, Fangak, Nyirol and Ayod would miss out due to the volatility in their areas. 

With days inching to Monday, February 8, which was slated for ringing the bell, a group of parliamentary departmental heads convened a meeting with education minister Awut Deng Acuil and her team for a fact-finding mission. The legislators were Bor Gatwech Kuany (Chief Whip), Ahmed Musa( Committee of Education), Martha Martin Dar (Committee of Gender and social welfare), Lydia John Jock (Committee of Regional Integration), Grace Abalang ( Committee of government assurance), Suzan Machar(Deputy Chair Committee of Petroleum), Angok Arthur and Kuony War.

The MPs established that the ministry had blamed the leadership of the SPLM-IO for the insecurity. 

‘‘The ministry decided to suspend some of the centres from taking exams due to lack of access by the government to those centres, lack of cooperation, intimidation, harassment of ministry of education staffs and insecurity from people who claimed to be civil authority officials of the SPLM IO,’’ parliamentary report read partly.

Deadlock

The ministry told the legislators that they had engaged the SPLM-IO leader and First Vice President DR Riek Machar about the incident and that he was privy to the decision to suspend the examination.

‘‘The Minister also said that the issue of suspension of the exams in those areas was tabled in the Council of Ministers meeting where even the President directly pleaded with Dr Riek Machar to allow unfettered access by the government officials to those areas.’’

But in its rebuttal, the SPLM-IO denied being party to the decision or stumbling block to the administration process. 

 ‘‘We believe the [decision] taken by the Ministry of Education is politically motivated. The decision is a grave violation of the rights of Education to the pupils in question,’’ said Pok Baluang, the SPLM-IO Director for Information and Public Relations. 

‘‘The Ministry Education did not contact the SPLM/A (IO) leadership before taking the unjust decision, to require security assurance in areas they’ve mentioned. We would like also to stress that there no insecurity in all the areas under the control of SPLM/SPLA (IO) and law and order are effectively maintained.’’

Outrage begins

The spilling accusations triggered public outcry with many South Sudanese taking their displeasure on social media. On Monday, February 8, a contingent of heads of missions from UK, US, Canada, Sweden and European Union Delegation voiced a joint statement of education funders putting pressure on the government examine the pupils. 

They said, ‘‘as donors to the education sector, we affirm the right of every child to success education and remain deeply concerned that children who have worked so hard to prepare for examinations may miss out’’

‘‘We call upon the Revitalised Government to proceed with urgency…to ensure that children in Primary 8 regardless of their locations can begin their examinations.’’

The diplomats also initiated dialogue with the First VP and the education minister to jumpstart the process. 

Two days later, on Wednesday, UNMISS head David Shearer offered support for security while calling on the government to respond over the matter.

‘‘We also strongly urge the distribution of exam papers to children in some IO areas who may miss out because of insecurity,’’ he said in a press statement. 

‘‘We stand by to help out if it means that these kids will have the chance to sit their exams.’’

On the very day, SPLM-IO wrote a protest note against a group of MPs who had claimed that Dr Machar had taken a hard-line position over the matter. But from the SPLM-IO statement, a revelation came that there was a breakthrough between the First VP and the minister after a phone call engagement. 

‘‘Minister was reassured by the SPLM/SPLA (IO) leadership that the safety of the Examiners and Examinees including the conducive 

the atmosphere for the Examinations will be fully taken care of,’’ SPLM-IO said and added that had reassured the diplomatic community of the same.

On Thursday, Acuil told the press while inspecting books at Rak Media printing press that there was a plan B to examine the children- but it was subject to security assurance.