By Bida Elly David and correspondents
Primary eight candidates on Monday began their Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) exams nationwide.
About 69,573 candidates, 38,575 males and 30,998 females are sitting for the exams, in 551 examination centers in 1,665 schools across the country, according to officials.
Amid challenges, officials said the exam papers have been delivered to all the centers.
“We have tried to deliver the examination papers to all centers; it was a very difficult situation where some states are covered with water,” Martin Tako, the deputy minister of general education said during the ringing of the bell at Juba’s Buluk Model Primary School to mark the start of the exam yesterday,
Tako mentioned Jonglei and Unity states as examination zones, with most parts flooded.
“We have sat for two days with our partners at UNMISS, and God granted us success with only one examination center in Jonglei State,” he disclosed.
The deputy minister appreciated the efforts made by head teachers towards preparing the candidates for the examination.
“I appreciate the head teachers at the government schools for their good work following the difficulties they encountered during the preparation, and we hope to see good results,” he stated.
Simon Nyok Deng, the secretary general of the National Examination Council, warned schools against examination malpractices and urged invigilators to favor no candidate.
He warned that anyone caught leaking examinations to candidates will be apprehended and serve four years in jail without bail.
Mr. Nyok called for cooperation between chief invigilators and the security forces to ensure that examinations were executed well until the end.
In Yei
Over 1,355 pupils from 51 primary schools are sitting the exams.
Yei River County commissioner, Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa thanked those who contributed to the examinations and dedicated all candidates to God, stating that God gives them the knowledge, wisdom, and knowledge to pass the examinations and become future leaders of South Sudan.
Meanwhile, County Education Director Juan Margret Lomora reported that 777 of the pupils are boys and 608 girls.
In Lakes State
Over 4960 candidates are taking the exams in 139 schools.
The State Minister of Education Nelson Makoi Makur urged the pupils to remain calm and tackle the examination without fear.
The No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper established that there have been greater changes in the time frame for conducting examinations compared to last year’s exams.
Last year, the primary certificate of education was held in February amidst a number of challenges, particularly the teacher’s salary strike and flood in some states.