Central Equatoria governor tours exam centers after tense night in Juba

JUBA – The governor of South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state Augustino Jadalla Wani, accompanied by members of his cabinet, toured examination centers in Juba on Friday to assess the progress of ongoing primary leaving certificate examinations.

The visit followed a tense night of gunfire that sent shockwaves across several parts of the city. Authorities assured the public that the situation had stabilized, and the exams were proceeding as scheduled.

Governor Jadalla visited several schools, including Juba One Primary School, Melekia, and Atlabara West Primary Schools, to evaluate conditions and reassure students and teachers of their safety.

Speaking to the media during the tour, Central Equatoria State Minister of General Education and Instructions Cirisio Zacharia emphasized the importance of ensuring the smooth conduct of examinations despite the previous night’s unsettling events.

“The visit is to assess progress on the examination. The governor is the governor of the state. He has the right to visit the schools to see the situation of schools,” Zacharia said.

He acknowledged the fears sparked by the gunfire, which initially led to concerns about attendance.

“There were a lot of gunshots last night and people thought that people would not attend the lectures but it turned out to be the opposite. The security is good and the students and teachers are safe,” he added.

Zacharia reassured the public of stable security and noted that the exams were proceeding uninterrupted across the schools visited.

“I assure you that this is a big responsibility. This is a responsibility for the people and the students. I don’t have much to say. But the lectures went well. There were some touches in other areas,” he said.

Juba County Commissioner Emmanuel Tete Ezbon also joined the delegation and praised the resilience of the community in continuing with normal activities despite the unrest.

“We would like to see how the exams are going. Thank God, the exams are going well. They are very normal. They are very well received. We are very happy that the security is good. We would like to see the citizens live their lives normally. Nothing bad happened. But at the end of the day, life goes on,” Ezbon said.

The tour aimed to restore confidence among students, teachers, and parents and to emphasize the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of citizens and the smooth conduct of academic activities.