The caretaker Minister of General Education in Eastern Equatoria State, Ibwaha Lucy Allam, has warned schools against allowing Primary Eight and Senior Four candidates to leave school premises and rent houses for private examination preparations ahead of the national examinations slated for November.
She said the ministry does not permit candidates to rent houses outside school compounds, particularly where boys and girls stay together under the pretext of preparing for their final examinations.
The minister told Radio Tamazuj that she is concerned about what she described as an unacceptable practice, warning that it could expose learners to misconduct and other risks during the examination period.
“I want to make this information very clear: I have seen students moving from school to rent houses outside,” she stated. “The ministry does not accept this movement. It is abolished, and we do not want it to happen.”
Ibwaha questioned the purpose of allowing boys and girls to rent houses together, arguing that the arrangement could undermine students’ discipline and expose them to risks instead of helping them concentrate on their studies.
The minister urged parents to advise their children against leaving school to rent accommodation for examination preparations, emphasizing the need for proper supervision during this critical period.
She also said examinations for lower classes would begin before those of Primary Eight and Senior Four candidates, with the ministry planning to give the examination classes their turn the following month.
Meanwhile, parents in Torit have welcomed the minister’s position, citing concerns over teenage pregnancies, indiscipline and the difficulty of monitoring children living in rented accommodation.
Afaf Millo, a parent in Torit, said parents could find it difficult to know what their children were doing when they lived away from home, even when the stated purpose was examination preparation.
“They should stay at home so that I can monitor my child as a mother,” she said. “I will know how to guide her, ensure she follows the school timetable and balances studying with household responsibilities.”
She argued that studying at home under parental supervision could help learners remain disciplined and avoid negative peer influence associated with unsupervised group living.
Another parent, Jane Dudu, also welcomed the minister’s directive, saying she would not allow her child to rent a house in the name of preparing for examinations.
“Last year, many of our children became pregnant because of that. We do not know who impregnated them there,” she stated. “We do not want children sleeping in rented places in the name of examination preparation. It should not happen in Eastern Equatoria.”
The parents called on school administrators to enforce the ministry’s directive and urged families to take greater responsibility for supervising candidates throughout the examination period.
The warning comes as schools in Eastern Equatoria prepare learners for the upcoming Primary Eight and Senior Four examinations, which mark important transitions in South Sudan’s education system.
and then