UNICEF Warns Against Separate Sudanese Secondary School Certificate Exams

Sudanhorizon – Agencies
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) issued a serious warning on Wednesday against holding separate secondary school certificate exams in Sudan, and called on the parties to the conflict to agree on arrangements that would ensure unified exams.
On Sunday, the government-in-exile, controlled by the Rapid Support Forces militia, began holding secondary school certificate exams in the Darfur region and some areas of Kordofan in western Sudan, a first in the country. UNICEF Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Itlifa Kadele, said in a statement, “Fragmented certificate systems risk creating barriers that persist long after the conflict ends, limiting opportunities for young people long after the fighting has stopped.”
The UNICEF official pointed out that recognized qualifications, for a generation of young people whose education has already been severely disrupted by the conflict, are essential for continuing their education, accessing employment opportunities, and contributing to Sudan’s recovery.
She stressed the need for the same nationally recognized exams to be available throughout Sudan and in countries hosting Sudanese refugees. The government and parties to the conflict were urged to agree on practical arrangements to ensure that examinations are conducted consistently and securely across the country. UNICEF announced its readiness to support these efforts.
The statement stressed the need to make education a neutral space, protected from division, and managed in the best interests of the child, with a clear understanding of what is at stake for an entire generation if this is not achieved.
It noted that ensuring all Sudanese learners can sit for the same examination, wherever they are, is essential to protecting their rights today and safeguarding their future prospects.
The UNICEF statement added children throughout Sudan have the same fundamental right to education and should be able to sit for the national certificate examinations safely and fairly, regardless of where they are.
The UN agency emphasized that a unified examination helps ensure fairness, preserves the value of students’ educational qualifications, and prevents divisions that could limit their future opportunities. She continued: “Access to exams and completion of secondary school are not just an important milestone in the lives of individual learners, but they constitute a fundamental path towards higher education and the acquisition of the skills and future opportunities that the youth of Sudan deserve.”

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