Khartoum, April 10 (Darfur24)
More than 7,000 male and female students from the Darfur states are set to sit for the Sudanese secondary school certificate exams next week in areas controlled by the Sudanese army, after technical committees completed all necessary preparations.
The exams are scheduled to begin on Monday in the states of River Nile, White Nile, and Khartoum, while authorities in areas outside army control have announced separate arrangements to hold parallel exams in June.
South Darfur Governor Bashir Marsal stated that the exams will take place from April 13 to 23, noting that specialized committees were formed to oversee academic, service, and health arrangements, alongside efforts to rehabilitate student housing and address accommodation challenges.
According to Marsal, over 2,000 students arrived in April from Darfur to examination centers, while others had already been residing in the River Nile State or were transported from White Nile State. He confirmed that exam seating numbers had been issued and that students would be admitted to centers one hour before the start of each exam.
Statistics indicate that approximately 3,350 students from South Darfur alone have been distributed across several exam centers in River Nile State.
Students described difficult journeys to reach exam locations. Samia Abdel Rahman, who traveled from Nyala, said the trip took more than seven days, while Abubakr Musa said he and other students from Kalma camp undertook a challenging journey via rough roads to reach River Nile State.
Community initiatives have also played a key role. A local leader in Quraida said residents helped facilitate the travel of around 300 students to sit for the exams. He added that more candidates are expected to take alternative exams in Chad starting May 11.
Sources from Atash camp and other localities in South Darfur reported that dozens of students made similar journeys to reach exam centers despite security and logistical challenges.
Meanwhile, Ismail Mukhtar, Director General of the Ministry of Education in North Darfur, confirmed that arrangements have been finalized for students from his state to sit exams in River Nile and Khartoum. He stated that a recent coordination meeting with federal authorities resulted in commitments to provide students with accommodations, food, transportation, and healthcare during the exam period.
Mukhtar added that 613 students from North Darfur, including 480 female students and 133 male students, will sit for the exams this year across designated centers in the two states.