Students pray before taking their secondary-leaving exams at Supiri Secondary School in Juba. (Photo: Moyo Jacob/Eye Radio).

National Minister of Education Awut Deng Achuil disclosed that entities that financed the Certificate of Primary Education and Certificate of Secondary Education examinations are preparing to a lawsuit against the institution over their unpaid debts.

At least 79,010 pupils set for CPE from 551 centers across South Sudan in November 2024, followed by CSE exams where 50,000 candidates sat in 319 centers the next month, amid logistical challenges due to the widespread floods.

Hon. Awut did not specify the companies suing the ministry and the amount it owes to such entities, but warned it should be no surprise if she appears in court soon.

She stated that the entire examination processes including printing, transportation, and distribution was conducted on credit due to financial constraints.

“Let me just tell you that all the conduct of examination is on loan. I repeat, it is on loan,” Awut said during the commencement of the exams marking on Tuesday.

The minister expressed frustration over the financial difficulties surrounding the examination process and warned that legal action could be taken against the ministry.

“The printing from where we print them, the transportation from where they are printed, and the distribution is across the country, because we don’t even distribute our exams on road It is all by air. We delivered it by air.”

In recent years, the education ministry has not only struggled to efficiently administer national examinations, but it also faced enormous financial challenges in marking such papers.

On February 18, the National Examination Council (NEC) confirmed receiving 2 billion South Sudan pounds from the Finance Ministry to start marking the 2024 primary and secondary final exams.

But the funding fell short of the 5 billion South Sudan pounds it requested to complete marking the exams.

“It has been very difficult exercise and I think members of parliament are aware of that. And when you hear I was standing in court, don’t be surprised,” Awut continued.

“Because those companies are going to open a case against me. They are already on the process. So, when you say we delay, even you say originally, where do we get the resources? It’s a national function. They say don’t have anything to contribute to it.”

Integrity South Sudan, a civil society organization, called for immediate intervention regarding the financial challenges which have delayed the marking of primary and secondary leaving examination papers for months.

It described the persistent complaints by the examination council about lack of budget as a systematic failure by the government to prioritize education.

Last year, former vice president Hussein Abdelbagi urged inclusion of exams marking costs in fiscal year budgets to avoid results delay after the education ministry took eight months to complete the marking of 2023-2024 SSCSE exams.