Fact-check: Did the South Sudan National Examinations Council results for 2023 base on numerical grading? 

 No, for the 2023 academic year, the South Sudan National Examinations Council has shifted from a numerical percentage grading system to a letter grading system. 

Writer: Makur Majeng

The South Sudan National Examinations Council results for the 2023 Certificate of Secondary Education were not based on a numerical percentage grading system but rather letter grading, contrary to a Facebook post claim posted online on August 8th, 2024 with a list of the top 10 best students from different schools.

The page, together with another Facebook page called Pesahiko Media, claimed that the best student from Darling Wisdom Secondary School in Juba scored 72.2% as the overall performer in the senior four examinations.

“S.4 results-2023-2024…congratulations to the top ten students nationwide,” the part of the Facebook post.

The screenshot of the Facebook post

The screenshot of the Facebook post

However, Nimule Media’s Facebook page claimed that the best student scored 90.1%, disputing the above two pages’ claim.

The screenshot of the claim

Claim Verification:

The South Sudan National Examinations Council released the Certificate of Secondary Education senior four results for the academic year 2023/2024 on August 8th, 2024.

In a press release, while announcing the result, the National Examinations Council stated that the grading has shifted from the numerical percentage to the letter grade system.

“As required by the new curriculum objectives, the Council has successfully implemented a letter grading system. This is the result of thorough deliberation and input from numerous parties. The National Examinations Council agreed to switch from numerical percentage grades to letter grades,” reads part of the press.

Context

For the 2023 academic year, 45,666 candidates registered for the examinations in 500 schools around the country, with 28,038 males and 16,628 females, according to the Ministry of Education and Instruction.

However, according to the press release, only 44,131 candidates were graded, with 27,897 male and 16,234 female, amounting to 63.2% and 36.8%, respectively, while the rest did not turn up for the exams or were involved in cheating cases and other malpractices that disqualified them from grading.

Therefore, out of 44,131 also, 26,440 candidates, with 16,633 male and 9,807 female candidates, obtained a mean grade of C plain and above, which qualified them for university entry. But 17,692 with 11,264 male and 6,427 female candidates failed the examinations.

In the academic year 2022, the grading was based on a numerical-based percentage system, but this year, the Ministry of Education changed the grading system to align with the new curriculum goals and objectives.

“In alignment with the demand of the new curriculum objectives, the National Examinations Council effectively decided to transition from using the numerical percentage grades to letter grades. This is in line with the implementation of the competence-based curriculum goals and objectives,” the press release added. 

Numerical Grading vs. Letter Grading

The numerical grading system gives a 100% scale percentage score, with 100 being the highest and 49% below being the lowest, while a letter grading system grades based on a letter representation from A to E, with A being the highest grade and E being the lowest.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the South Sudan National Examinations Council has changed the grading system from numerical percentage to letter grading system for the 2023 academic year certificate of secondary education. 

The Facebook post claim showing the results for the 2023 certificate of secondary education with a list of the top ten best students graded in numerical percentage is false and misleading.

The Ministry of Education and Instruction has changed the grading from a numerical to a letter grading system, and the Examination Council’s press release did not include a list of the top 10 best students.

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