A months-long delay in releasing the 2024/2025 Secondary Examination results has sparked outrage among lawmakers, with mounting questions over accountability within the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction.
More than 50,000 students across South Sudan took the S.4 national exams in December 2024, with results initially expected by late July. Yet, despite completed marking, the ministry has failed to publish the results—leaving students in limbo and raising concerns about systemic inefficiencies.
During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, Felix Bali, an SPLM legislator representing Western Equatoria, challenged the education ministry’s unexplained delays, citing broken promises and financial mismanagement.
“It has been eight months since marking began, yet the results remain withheld,” Bali said. “The minister previously claimed results would be released within a week. That deadline passed without action.”
Bali revealed that the ministry had received only 28% of its allocated budget from the finance ministry—a possible factor in the delay. However, no official statement has clarified the link between funding shortfalls and the exam results holdup.
“Parents are struggling with restless children at home. The future of these students is being jeopardized by this indecision,” he added, demanding that Education Minister appear before parliament to explain the repeated delays.
The call for accountability has split lawmakers along political lines. Gatkuoth Wat of the opposition SPLM-IO backed summoning the minister, arguing that the delay demands urgent scrutiny.
“This is a critical issue affecting thousands of students in the country. The minister must provide answers,” Wat insisted.
However, Kom Kom Gang, an SPLM member representing Northern Bahr el Ghazal, opposed direct summons, instead pushing for parliament’s education committee to handle the matter internally.
The prolonged uncertainty threatens to disrupt university admissions, as secondary certificates are typically required by February for enrollment. With no clear timeline for release, students face missed academic years.
Parliament Speaker Jemma Nunu Kamba directed the education committee to investigate the ministry’s handling of the examination results.