Low turnout for girls in South Sudan state primary exams

Recent figures have shown a low turnout of girls in primary school exams, which began early last week in the border state of Northern Bahr al Ghazal in South Sudan . According to Ministry of Education spokesman, Atem Bjajo, only 680 from the 3,855 pupils sitting their exams were females. Bjajo said recent clashes with rebel groups at the border have not prevented children from sitting their exams - however the lack of staff, textbooks and chairs are causing challenges in delivering a comprehensive education for all. Many girls have dropped out of school as parents are keeping them at home, preferring to pay fees for boys. Bjajo said many families struggle to pay school fees for all their children and instead prioritise who to send, with girls typically left behind. Women’s rights activists demanded the transitional South Sudanese constitution to change the minimum marriage age for girls to 18. UN figures show that the country has the highest maternal mortality rate (2,054 per 100,000 live births), and a large number of girls are forced into child marriage, some as young as nine. Only 37 percent of girls are thought to attend school. Bjajo encouraged parents to send girls to school to help increase literacy rates, which in return, will help change attitudes and behaviours - particularly around child marriage.