A picture showing inmates at the Juba Central Prison. Photo credit: Courtesy

Authorities at Juba Central Prison have confirmed that 42 juvenile inmates passed their primary level examinations, in what officials described as progress in the prison’s education programme.

Speaking to Eye Radio, the Director of Juba Central Prison, Anthony Oliver Legge, said the facility continues to provide learning opportunities for young inmates despite limited resources.

Legge said the prison currently operates four classes inside the male section of the facility, where lessons are conducted in coordination with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction.

“We have the primary [school programme] and 42 passed the exams for primary school. We have four classes now in the male facility,” Legge said.

“We are arranging some places and then we teach them inside the prison. And we are coordinating with the Ministry of Education,” he added.

His remarks come as national education performance figures show improvement in primary examinations across the country.

On March 5, 2026, Kuyok Abol Kuyok, the Minister of General Education and Instruction, announced the 2025 Certificate of Primary Education examination results.

According to the Ministry of General Education and Instruction, 81,431 candidates passed out of 84,506 pupils who sat for the examinations in November 2025, representing a 96.4 percent pass rate.

Education officials attributed the improved national performance to better preparation in subjects including Science and Christian Religious Education.

Prison authorities also said collaboration with the judiciary and mobile courts operating inside the prison is contributing to a gradual reduction in the inmate population.

“Despite all the effort done by the judiciary and the public prosecution, still the number is big. It’s reducing slowly even though we have three courts here, which are the mobile courts, and they are doing their best,” Legge said.