Over 30 students dodge National Exams in Northern Bahr el Ghazal

AWEIL – At least 32 candidates scheduled to sit for South Sudan’s Certificate of Secondary Education examinations last week failed to turn up, according to the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Ministry of Education and Instruction.

The Director-General in the ministry told this publication that the affected students were expected to sit alongside 2,606 candidates across the state, but did not appear on the examination days.

He said most of them cited illness, while others gave “unverified reasons” linked to fear or lack of proper preparation.

“We have a total of 32 students across Northern Bahr el Ghazal who failed to turn up for the Certificate of Secondary Education examinations. They were supposed to sit with their peers, but only these 32 missed out,” he said.

According to the ministry, 18 of the absentees were boys, and 14 were girls. Officials say the reasons provided by the students were largely unsupported.

“We asked several questions. Some claimed they were sick, while others gave unauthentic explanations such as lack of preparation,” the Director-General, Valentino Anei Deng, explained.

Mr Anei said the ministry regrets that the students missed what he described as a vital opportunity to assess their academic abilities.

“This year, both students and teachers faced challenges, but we can proudly say the examinations were free of malpractice. These are isolated cases of candidates who may not have been adequately prepared. We wish them the best,” he added.

Beyond gender categorisation, the Director-General did not reveal further identities of those who failed to turn up for the national exams.

South Sudan’s education sector continues to face numerous challenges, including low teacher motivation and prolonged delays in paying teacher salaries and arrears.

Analysts argue that until the government prioritises education—alongside critical sectors like health—students will continue to bear the brunt of a system struggling to meet basic standards.