Geneva, June 12 (Darfur24)
The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has called for Sudanese students to be allowed to sit for national examinations regardless of their location, stressing that access to education is a fundamental right and essential to protecting the future of an entire generation.
The appeal comes after the government affiliated with the TASIS Alliance organized secondary school certificate examinations in areas under its control, parallel to those administered by the military-backed government, marking an unprecedented development in Sudan’s education system.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, described access to a unified national examination as a “long-awaited opportunity” for hundreds of thousands of students whose education has been disrupted by years of conflict and who have been unable to sit for their exams.
Kadilli said a unified examination system helps ensure fairness, preserves the value of academic qualifications, and prevents divisions that could negatively affect students’ future opportunities.
“For a generation of young people who have already suffered severe disruptions to education due to conflict, recognized qualifications are a key pillar for continuing education, accessing employment opportunities, and contributing to Sudan’s recovery,” she said.
“Fragmented certification systems risk creating obstacles that persist beyond the end of the conflict itself, limiting young people’s opportunities long after the fighting has stopped.”
Kadilli emphasized the importance of providing nationally recognized examinations across all parts of Sudan, as well as in countries hosting Sudanese refugees, both during the current examination period and in future years.
She called on the government and all parties to the conflict to agree on practical mechanisms that would allow examinations to be conducted consistently and securely throughout the country. She also reaffirmed UNICEF’s readiness to support such efforts.
The UNICEF official stressed that education must remain a neutral space, protected from political and military divisions and guided by the best interests of children.
“Education must remain protected from divisions and grounded in a clear understanding of what is at stake for an entire generation if this is not achieved,” she said.
Kadilli added that completing secondary education is not only an important milestone for students but also a vital pathway to higher education, skills development, and future opportunities for Sudan’s youth.