Tag: Awut Deng Acuil

Awut considers P8 students in rebel-held areas as her “children”

Minister of Education Awut Deng Acuil |Photo: File

Education Minister Awut Deng Acuil describes students who had missed out on the initial Primary Eight Leaving Examinations as her “children”, and wishes them good luck in their national exams expected on Monday, February 15th.

“It is my pleasure to inform the nation that the Ministry of General Education and Instruction and the National Examinations Council have decided to fix new dates for the conduct of Primary eight examinations for the pupils that had missed out on the initial examination,” said the Minister of Education, Awut Deng Acuil.

“Congratulation to my children and I wish them the best of luck,” she said.

This comes after the concerned authorities in the unity government agreed on Thursday to set a new date for more than 800 hundred students who were unable to take their primary exams due to security concerns raised by the Ministry of Education.

Earlier this month, Awut banned students in the SPLM-IO-administered areas from taking their primary examinations over unresolved security matters.

“It is important for me to underscore that in this year 2020/2021 examination cycle, a lot of strict security measures have been devised and put in place to curb malpractices in examinations and to ensure the security of the examinations, examinees, and examiners,” Awut said.

“In the absence of both the police and security, nothing can guarantee the security and integrity of the examinations, and thus such areas shall be regarded as no-exams zones,” the education minister said.

“Given this brief backdrop, the South Sudan National Examination Council and the Ministry of General Education and instruction have been alerted of possible examination security threats in most of the SPLA/IO bases in parts of Jonglei and Upper Nile States,” Minister Awut explained.

“Case in point is the recent detention of staff belonging to an agent contracted by the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction to pay teachers’ incentives in Nyiror in Jonglei State. To date, the money is not yet recovered although the agents were later released.”

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P8 Students in SPLM-IO-controlled areas to take their exams on Monday

Thousands of students who had missed out on recent Primary Eight Exams are expected to sit on Monday, February 15th, according to a statement issued by James Gatdet, Press Secretary in the Vice-President’s Office.

“The Office of the First Vice President would like to inform the public that the Primary 8 school examinations are expected to take place soon in about 19 centers in the areas controlled by the SPLM/SPLA (I0) in Upper Nile and Jonglei states.”

This comes following a high-level meeting convened on Thursday by the country’s Cluster Services.

“The Examiners will be accompanied by a delegation of officials from the Parties concerned, mainly the ITGONU and SPLM/SPLA (I0).”

The head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, Dr. Riek Machar, urged the concerned authorities to cooperate with the examiners until the exams are over.

“His Excellency the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, as usual, has directed the authorities in the areas where the examinations will take place to cooperate and provide security and protection to all those who will be taking the examinations materials, as well as the Examinees. The Office wishes the Ministry of General Education and Instructions a great success in ensuring that all children in the Republic of South Sudan do the exams.”

In the same development, the Minister Education, Awut Deng Acuil confirmed that the scheduled exams are slated to take place on Monday, February 15th and wished all the students the best of luck.

“Members of the press, Ladies and gentlemen, It is my pleasure to inform the nation that the Ministry of General Education and Instruction and the National Examinations Council have decided to fix new dates for the conduct of Primary eight examinations for the pupils that had missed out on the initial examination.”

“The new dates shall be as follow 1. Transportation to the locations will take place from Friday 12h through Sunday 14th February 2021. 2.”

“The administration of examination begins on Monday 15th February 2021 and ends by Friday 19h February 2021. Congratulation to my children and I wish them the best of luck! Thank you.”

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Gov’t bans national exams in SPLM-IO-controlled areas, citing insecurity

South Sudan’s government marks SPLM-IO-controlled areas as no-exams zones

Press statement on conduct of Primary Eight Exams in SPLM-IO Areas

Members of the press, Ladies and gentlemen — It is my pleasure to inform the nation that all necessary arrangements have been made for timely commencement of the 2020 Certificate of Primary Education examinations on Monday 8th February 2021.

However, it is important for me to underscore that in this year 2020/2021 examination cycle, a lot of stringent security measures have been devised and put in place to curb malpractices in examinations and to ensure security of the Examinations, Examinees and Examiners.

Central in these measures is that any certificate examination that is conducted by the South Sudan National Examinations Council MUST be protected and guarded by both the South Sudan National Police services and National Security. In the absence of both the Police and Security, nothing can guarantee the security and integrity of the examinations and thus such areas shall be regarded as no-exams zones.

Given this brief backdrop, the South Sudan National Examinations Council and the Ministry of General Education and Instruction have been alerted of possible examination security threats in most of the SPLM-IO bases in parts of Jonglei and Upper Nile State. Case in point is the recent detention of Staff belonging to an agent contracted by the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction to pay teachers’ incentives in Nyiror in Jonglei State.

To date, the money is not yet recovered although the agents were later released. These concerns have been shared with both the National Security Service and the Police and it has been resolved that unless a clear assurance is given by the SPLM-IO leadership over the security of examination in these areas, the National Examinations Council will have no other viable options but withhold the examinations in these areas in light of the fact that South Sudan National Security service and Police have no presence in such areas to provide full control and provision of security to Examiners, Examinees and the examinations.

Therefore, since I have already raised a red flag over this security concern, and the Primary eight examinations are set to begin in literally four days from today, I am afraid to state that pupils in these locations will have to needlessly miss out on their examinations due to the unresolved security concerns.

Thank you.

Signed By:

Hon. Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction and Chairperson of the South Sudan National Examinations Council.

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