Jonglei students post poor exam results

March 6, 2015 (BOR) – Pupils from primary schools in South Sudan’s Jonglei state posted poor results, with only 519 of its 1289 candidates passing last year’s exams.

Daniel Malual, the state secretary for examinations, said most of the pupils had not adequately prepared for exams after conflict broke out in the country late last year.

“What we have learned in this last exam is that the candidates for 2014 did not prepare for exams very well. Teachers did not turn up for teaching early enough,” he said.

“Some candidates were still in the IDP [internally displaced peoples] camps where they did not access classes”, added the official.

Examination papers for some 530 pupils were also burnt. The ministry, however, asked the affected candidates to re-sit their exams with the other 759 new pupils.

“Those who re-sat the exams performed better than the new candidates although they set the same exams,” stressed Malual.

“We noticed that the candidates who sat in 2013 had performed well in the 2014 exams with 64 passing percentage while the candidate for 2014 who did the same, had 38% passing,” he added.

Meanwhile, a total of 626 candidates qualified to join secondary schools this year.

(ST)