Hon. Martin Tako, Deputy Minister of General Education - credit | Moyo Jacob/Eye Radio | August 2, 2022

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction has directed limited holidays for primary and secondary schools after the first terms in a bid to end the academic year ahead of elections in December 2024.

Deputy Education Minister Martin Tako said both private and public schools will go for a one-week break from the first term exams instead of the initial two weeks, so that schools catch up with the academic syllabus.

Tako disclosed that the academic year is being squeezed due to a number of national programs, the significant of which is the anticipated elections in December.

“We also declare to all schools’ in the Republic of South Sudan that the holidays for first term will only be a week so that schools can catch up with learning,” he said.

“We have a lot of programs ahead of us which may interfere with our normal economic functions this year we also have the elections in December.”

“So we have gross program for the schools to finish the syllabus within the academic years.” He spoke at a press conference in Juba on Monday.

Mr. Tako made the directive at the same time as he announced that the marking of the 2023-2024 Certificate of Secondary Education exams has commenced and the resultes will be out in three weeks.

He said the ministry has finally received part of the money needed to mark the exams papers from the government, and that teachers have already been invited to mark the exams papers.

About 45,000 candidates are desperately waiting to see their results – months after sitting for the CSE examination across the country between December 4, and December 14, 2023.

The students have been stuck in uncertainty over whether or not they have passed or failed and should repeat the class, at a time when fellow candidates are far ahead.