As states announce their results of the Sudan School Certificates, it has emerged that 25% of the candidates in Central Equatoria State have failed.

The results showed that 74.3% of the candidates passed. This is above the national average of 72% announced by the Ministry of Education last week.

5,544 sat for the exams in June, and 4,120 passed, according to the state minister of Education.

Hastin Yokwe says more students failed this year’s exams compared to the previous years.

“If you compare this year and the last two years, there is a drop in performance,” said Mr Yokwe, “and the simple explanation is that we are sifting our emphasis to South Sudan-based curriculum other than Sudan based curriculum.”

The results show that girls beat the boys in the exams.

Mr Yokwe says there were 3,379 boys who sat for the exams, 73.7% of them passed.

He said there were 2,167 female candidates, and 75.5% of them passed.

Mr Yokwe said this will be the last secondary school examination using the Sudanese curriculum.