This year saw an increase in student entries for the exams, with a total of 48,484 students comprising of 28,551 males and 19,993 sitting for the examinations

By James Chatim

South Sudan’s Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) examinations are set to begin this morning across the country, with this year’s registered number of candidates marking an increase from last year.

The schedule of the examinations for both Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) and Certificate of Secondary Education were announced by the Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction, Martin Tako Moyi, in October.  

The Deputy Minister stated that a total of 48,484 students comprising of 28,551 males and 19,993 would sit for the CSE examinations in 525 schools across the country.

Meanwhile, H.E Hussein Abdelbagi, the Vice President for Service Cluster called for the inclusion of examination marking costs into the 2024/2025 fiscal year national budget to avoid result delay after the education ministry took eight months to complete the marking of 2023/2024 South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education (SSCSE).

Abdelbagi highlighted that the budget constraints is among the institution’s biggest challenges in ensuring a timely marking of national examinations.

On her part, Hon. Awut Deng, the National Minister of General Education decried the delay in marking of the CSE examination papers and the challenges that the teachers faced due to delayed salaries.

According to UNESCO, as of 2017, the number of illiterate individuals older than 15 constitutes more than 70 percent of the population in South Sudan. The challenges are particularly severe for girls.

The 2010 South Sudan Household Health Survey recorded the nationwide literacy rate for women at 13.4 percent. Meanwhile, UNICEF states that fewer than one percent of girls complete primary education. South Sudan maintains the highest female illiteracy rates in the world. It is estimated that more than one million of children eligible for primary school are not enrolled, with secondary school enrollment being lower than 10% among those eligible.

In an interview with a local digital radio platform in South Sudan in April this year, Pornpun Jib Rabiltassaporn, Save the Children Country Director in South Sudan revealed that over 2.8 million children out of school in the country.

However, despite the challenges, the country has made significant steps, marking an increase in student enrolment include those sitting for the examinations this year.

Compared to last year’s 2023 entries, CPE candidates were 69,455, with 38,497 males and 30,988 females, while CSE candidature was 44,871 with 28,179 males and 16,685 females.

This, according to the Education Deputy Minister, represents an increment of 9,404, which is 13.5 percent in CPE and 3,613, which is 7.5 percent in CSE entries.

Moyi further said that the results were a sign that the government is making strides in its efforts to register more children in schools, retain and transition them to the next level of education.

“Education must be a top priority for the Government in South Sudan and sufficient allocations must be made to ensure every child in the country can go to school and learn,” said UNICEF Representative in South Sudan Dr Mohamed Ag Ayoya in a past feature. “By investing in the education of its children, South Sudan is investing in the future and development of the whole country,” he added.