Saturday June 22, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - More than 37,000 Somali students from 736 schools are sitting for the 12th-grade national examinations for the 2023-2024 academic year on Saturday throughout the country.
Minister of Education Farah Sheikh Abdulqadir stated that more students are taking the exam this year than in previous years, and the number of exam centers has increased. However, students in the Puntland and Somaliland regions are not participating due to political conflicts with the federal government.
"The number of students sitting for the exam this year is 37,038. The centers number 136, the participating schools total 736, with 2,870 staff and 2,176 security police officers," said Minister Abdulqadir.
Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre reaffirmed his government's commitment to education and commended the Ministry of Education for its efforts in preparing for the exams.
"Today is an important day for the nation to realize the great goals of this country. Education is as important as security. When I visited the central examination center, I saw that everything was well-prepared. I am happy," said Prime Minister Barre.
Hundreds of Somali students in Adan-Yabal, Harardhere, and Elder, recently liberated districts in the Middle Shabelle and Galgadud regions, are taking exams for the first time in 33 years. Somali security forces and local clan militias liberated the three districts in December 2022 and early 2023 during a major operation in the south and central regions.