Primary Eight and Senior Four learners started their national examination on Monday, February 8, with intensified security aimed at ensuring integrity of the examination and safety of the centres.

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction promised on February 4 that the centres would be under tight security so that the process is smooth.

The ministry said: ‘‘…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.’’

But at the backdrop of all this is a brewing stalemate in the strongholds of SPLM-IO, where 849 learners are not being examined.

A parliamentary delegation of eight legislators put Awut Deng Acuil and her ministerial team to task over the decision to snub learners in SPLM-IO areas.

But the ministry fired blames on the SPLM-IO door steps claiming that the leadership of the movement was inclined to sabotage the process.

‘‘The SPLM IO officials arrested and confiscated money approved by the Ministry to be incentives of the teachers in Nyirol from a Ministry of Education agent saying they don’t recognise the Ministry to run schools in their areas,’’ the ministry told the committee on education.

 ‘‘The Minster testified that she raised these issues to Dr. Riek Machar in person. Dr. Riek and many other leaders in the SPLM IO always refer to the full formation of the RTGONU as the only solution to make government have unfettered access to all SPLM IO controlled areas,’’ the ministry protested.

The ministry further claimed that the decision was made with the full knowledge of President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr Riek Machar.

‘‘The Minster 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,’’ the committee stated.

Not me…

The SPLM-IO however denied these allegations terming the move a pure step to discriminate learners in their jurisdiction and malign the name of the movement.

‘‘We believe the [decision] taken by the Ministry of Education is politically motivated. [It] is a grave violation to the rights of Education to the pupils in question,’’ Puok Balung, the SPLM-IO Deputy Chairperson of Information Committee.

He denied being informed about the move even as he alleviated fears of insecurity in their jurisdictions.

‘‘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. In addition, the timing of the decision (4 days before the examination) indicates wicked intentions from the ministry leadership.

We would like also to stress that there is no insecurity in all the areas under control of SPLM/SPLA (IO) and law and order are effectively maintained.’’

He called on the ministry to revoke the order and allow the learners to undertake their examination without a hitch.

‘‘…we condemn the decision in strongest terms possible and call upon the military of education to revoke it and allow pupils in our control areas to sit for their examination concurrently with other pupils over South Sudan without any discrimination.’’

The learners who are missing their examinations are Nasir (95), Longochuk (220), Akobo (61), Fangak (223), Nyirol (141) and Ayod (109).

The ministry further added that learners in Tonj would miss due to the deterioration of security in the dying minutes.