South Sudan’s former Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin, has expressed his willingness to travel to Akobo County and other parts of Greater Lou Nuer to support the safe delivery of national examination papers amid concerns over access to opposition-controlled areas.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Marial appealed to elders, young people and community leaders to cooperate peacefully so that students in Akobo, Uror, Nyirol and neighbouring areas can sit their examinations.

“Our children have prepared for these examinations, and we must stand together to ensure that they are given the opportunity to continue their education,” he said.

Marial urged communities to prioritise children’s futures and provide a safe environment for the transportation of examination papers and other materials.

“South Sudan belongs to all of us. Regardless of our communities, counties, or differences, we share one country and one future,” he said.

He stressed that political divisions should not prevent children from accessing education, calling for unity and cooperation across Greater Lou Nuer.

The appeal follows reported concerns within the Ministry of General Education over the safety of delivering examination materials to areas controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO).

Allegations that opposition forces had threatened to arrest people arriving from Juba, including those transporting examination materials, have been denied by the SPLM-IO.

The reported decision to withhold examination papers from opposition-controlled areas has also prompted protests by students in a county in Unity State. The students demanded access to their examinations, saying they were neither politicians nor soldiers and should not bear the consequences of the conflict.

Marial’s statement called on all sides to put education first and ensure that examination papers reach every school, giving children the opportunity to continue their studies.