Thursday July 23, 2020
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Five thousand students from Puntland sat for the Federal Government administered form four exam last week despite the eastern state failing to recognize it.
Education Minister Godah Barre said Thursday out of the 35,000 students who sat for the final test, 5,000 were from Puntland.
“The Ministry lauds the Puntland students who came out voluntarily to sit for the exams,” Barre said adding the exercise concluded successfully.
The Minister announced last week those who did not sit for the exams from Puntland would not receive Federal Government certified diplomas sparking sharp reaction from Puntland.
Puntland Education Minister Abdullahi Hassan termed the statement ‘damaging and disheartening’ for Puntland students.
The Federal Government introduced standardized tests for class eight and form four candidates in 2015, but Puntland has maintained it does not subscribe to the federal tests.
At least 16,000 students in Puntland sat for their final tests early this month.
Barre said earlier in the month said that students in Puntland who have not sat for the official standardized test would not receive their government-recognized secondary school diploma’s. The decision has led to a public row with the Puntland’s education minister.