PM Hamza Opens National Secondary Exams, Candidate Numbers Rise to Record 44,300

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Saturday officially launched Somalia’s Unified National Grade 12 Secondary School Examinations, with 44,300 students sitting the tests at 158 examination centres across the country.
The number of candidates has increased by more than 5,000 compared to 2025, reflecting expanding access to education, improved security conditions, increased recruitment of teachers, and the reopening of schools in areas previously controlled by Al-Shabaab.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, Prime Minister Barre described education as the foundation of Somalia’s future and encouraged students to approach the examinations with confidence and determination.
“The future of Somalia is being written in classrooms today, and each one of you holds a pen,” the Prime Minister told candidates, while wishing them success in the examinations.
He also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring quality education for all Somali children through continued investment in the education sector.
Somalia’s unified national secondary school examinations were introduced in 2015 as part of efforts to establish a standardized national education system after decades of conflict and institutional collapse. The inaugural examinations were sat by approximately 7,000 students.
Since then, participation has grown steadily, with the annual examinations becoming a key milestone in the country’s efforts to rebuild and strengthen its education sector.
Education officials attribute the rising number of candidates to ongoing reforms, improved school enrolment, enhanced security in several regions, and government initiatives aimed at expanding educational opportunities across the country.
The examinations are administered by the Federal Government in collaboration with education authorities in the Federal Member States and are regarded as a critical benchmark for students seeking admission to higher learning institutions.
This year’s sitting marks the largest number of candidates ever to participate in Somalia’s unified national secondary school examinations, underscoring the continued growth of the country’s education sector.