(JUBA CITY) – South Sudan’s education system is facing growing concern as top-performing secondary school students struggle to cope with university coursework, particularly in engineering and medicine.
General Education and Instruction Minister Kuyok Abol Kuyok, who also lectures at the University of Juba, said that many of the nation’s highest scorers fail to progress beyond their first year of university. He described the situation as “pathetic” and warned that it reflects weaknesses in the secondary school system.
The minister spoke to Radio Miraya as more than 44,000 candidates began sitting for the Certificate of Secondary Education examinations across the country. Kuyok emphasised the importance of strict compliance with exam regulations after reports that some schools in Juba resisted cooperating with security officers, monitors, and supervisors.
“Phones must not be allowed into examination halls. If you refuse to surrender your phone and are caught using it, you will be penalised. Investigations will be done and the law will take its course,” he said. Schools violating exam rules risk having their results nullified.
Kuyok praised the government, the Ministry of Finance, and the country’s security services for supporting the delivery of exams to remote areas, calling logistics “a nightmare” that required coordination across multiple agencies. For the first time, some exams were successfully delivered by road.
The minister stressed that the goal of the exams is to identify students who are genuinely prepared for higher education. “We want those who have truly done well in secondary school so they do not struggle later,” he said.
He also commended state education officials and the examination secretariat for managing the process despite difficult economic conditions, calling on schools to uphold the integrity of the examinations.
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Concern | Top secondary school students struggle at university, particularly in engineering and medicine |
| Exams | Certificate of Secondary Education examinations underway for over 44,000 candidates |
| Compliance | Phones banned in exam halls; violations risk nullified results |
| Logistics | Government, Ministry of Finance, and security services coordinated delivery to remote areas; first-time road transport of some exams |
| Goal | Ensure students are genuinely prepared for university |
The Ministry is calling for stronger oversight and strict adherence to exam rules to protect academic standards and ensure the next generation of students is equipped for higher education.
