Candidates at Chinese Friendship Secondary School during the examinations on December 16, 2019. | Credit | Charles Wote/Eye Radio

More than 27,000 candidates have today begun this year’s secondary school leaving examinations across the country.

The examinations were initially planned for December 2 but the ministry of education pushed it for December 16 after it failed to complete preparing the materials on time.

A total of 27,145 candidates are writing the examinations at 261 centers in 30 states and Abyei administrative area.  However, two states-Latjor and Maiwut did not present any candidate.

Deng Deng Hoc, the Minister of General Education and Instructions said there are 1,914 candidates sitting in nine centers in the internally displaced peoples camps.

“We are delighted that our children in the PoCs have also registered to sit for the examination this year,” Minister Deng said after ringing the bell marking start of the examinations at Chinese Friendship Secondary School in Juba, on Monday.

Out of the 27,145 candidates, 7,763 are girls representing 28 percent increase while 19,382 are boys.

This is the first time that secondary school leaving examinations are done within the same academic calendar.