The reduction of exams centres in EES from 27 to three could pose new challenges

With only less than 30 days remaining to the start of the 2022 South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education (SSCS) examination, candidates in Eastern Equatoria State are still in confusion as they do not know where exactly they will be sitting for their exams.

According to the report from Eastern Equatoria State, the national Ministry of General Education and Instruction had reduced the number of examination centres from 27 to only three due to what it called insecurity.

The three exams are in Kapoeta, Torit, and Nimule, which means all students from greater Kapoeta would be sitting for the exams in a centre established within. Meanwhile, the candidates in Torit and surrounding counties will have to travel to Torit town to sit for their exams. Candidates in Magwi County will have to go to the border town of Nimule for their examination.

While this is already a decision made by the national government based on the survey conducted by the national ministry of education, it is a hard decision that may prevent most of the candidates from sitting for their exams.

Several factors need to be considered to make this resolution successful because it requires a lot of logistical work.  This required feeding and medication to be provided to the students, although transportation would still be a big challenge for most students.

In the new arrangement, for instance, candidates from Budi County need to go to Torit to sit for their exams. Meanwhile, candidates from Pajok Payam of Magwi County have to travel up to Nimule for the exams. These big challenges can easily make one miss the examination. The issue of accommodation is yet again another challenge that the students are likely to face, that may interfere with their exams.

Therefore, the national ministry of education should ensure that it meets some of the needs required by students. Feeding, medication, and accommodation are the three basic requirements that the national ministry of general education and instruction has to ensure are provided to the students.

It is not an objection to the decision taken by the national government but this is a caution that the decision is likely to put more burdens on the students and their parents given the economic crisis in the country.

For instance, in Magwi County, some students have been displaced from their homes to Magwi town due to the recent conflict in the area. So, these students are already living very destitute lives, and how possible would it be for them to afford the transport and the personal basic requirements needed while for exams in Nimule.

So, the national government has to look into these issues because some students are likely to miss the exams.