Tag Archive for: #SouthSudan

Fact-check: Did this woman run mad somewhere in South Sudan?

Pictures of a bride who ran mad on her traditional marriage didn’t happen in South Sudan, and they are believed to have occurred somewhere in Uganda.

Writer: Jibi Moses

Suncity TV, a Facebook page, recently ran a story with pictures of a bride who allegedly ran mad in South Sudan.

Bride goes mad during her traditional marriage somewhere in South Sudan. Eyewitness gali she snatched someone’s husband,” partly reads the caption. 

A screenshot of the post by Suncity TV

Investigation:

A Google reverse image search by 211 Check returns the same picture used on the internet by many other sources with different stories behind it. Edujan  don.com, A Nigerian online blog, ran a story with these pictures claiming the incident happened in Masaka, a district in central Uganda, on the 7th of March, 2023. 

The face of Malawi, a Malawian online news site, ran a similar one on the 9th of March 2023, claiming the incident happened in Tanzania. Finally, Tica Saviour, based in Nigeria, also claimed the act occurred in Nigeria. Raphael Abusari made a TikTok video, although it had no excruciating details. 

A screenshot from Raphael’s TikTok video

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim false. Given the above evidence, although the picture’s origin isn’t clearly defined, there’s enough evidence that it didn’t happen anywhere in South Sudan. 

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: Did President Kiir cry on his return  from the tour in Bahr el Ghazal?

No, this picture of the president is old  taken way earlier in 2018, and has been on the internet for a long time.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A picture of South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir was shared by Junub Sudan Press on 23 March 2023 in a post that went viral. The post attracted around 70 reactions, 40 comments and 29 shares in 20 hours. 

“Breaking News!!.

President Kiir shades tears on arrival from Bahr-el-ghazal after he was shown the current rate of Dollar against SSP and handed a short list of five hungry and incapacitated politicians who had submitted their interests for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Docket under the drowning leadership of Dier Tong Ngor and Governor of Central Bank.

What made His Excellency cry was the fact that James Deng Wal and Barnaba Marial Benjamin has forged into……,” partly reads the caption.

A screenshot of the post used by Junub South Sudan

On running a Google reverse image search on the picture, Google lenses returned many results showing that the picture has been used before. The first time it was used was in 2018 by 

South Sudan in Focus.

AFTABOSS a website used the same image in 2018 with a title that ran as the 13 theories of political crisis in South Sudan and in 2021 it was used by Ramciel Tip-toe-Top, with a heading Facts about the president of South Sudan, H.E SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT. 

The same image was used by Akuot Chol on Getty Images. Meanwhile the Photos of H.E President Salva Kiir taken when he was arriving yesterday from his tour shows otherwise as seen in the official page Office of the president -Republic of South sudan.

A screenshot of the image of the president yesterday when he touched Juba

Conclusion:

Given the evidence above collected by 211 check. This image of the president was not taken yesterday when he arrived Juba. He was not crying either as portrayed by the writer. This was an old picture which dates back to 2018.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: Did Pope Francis say celibacy can be revised? Yes, he did

He did, during a celebration ceremony of his tenth Papal year. When asked by Infobae whether celibacy could be revised, Francis answered that it could. He added that Celibacy in the Western Church is a “temporary prescription… It is not eternal like priestly ordination.”

Writer: Jibi Moses

A blog post by suncitytvsouthsudan claims Pope Francis said celibacy could be revised. “In a new interview, Pope Francis discussed the possibility of revising the Western discipline of celibacy. Priestly celibacy…” the blog post says in part.

A similar post was published on Phoenix news: “Pope Francis says Catholic Church banning priests from engaging in sex is ‘temporary.”

Screenshot of a post by suncity 

The post is seen on Phoenix. 

Searches on Bing and Google return many results confirming the claim’s accuracy. Pope Francis was in defence of saying that celibacy is a temporary prescription.

“When asked by Infobae whether celibacy could be revised, Francis answered that it could. He added that Celibacy in the Western Church is a “temporary prescription… It is not eternal like priestly ordination,”  a caption from an article reads.

Some of the explanations can be found here, here, and here. In addition to the articles, there are some videos too 1, 2, 3. The Fox News Channel clarified that the church banning clerics from sex is ‘Temporal’.

So, what is celibacy?

Clerical celibacy is the requirement in certain religions that some or all clergy members be unmarried. Clerical celibacy also requires abstention from deliberately indulging in sexual thoughts and behaviour outside of marriage because these impulses are considered sinful. The practice has been in the catholic for almost over 1000 years. According to Wikipedia, it was made a prerequisite for one to take a religious role. And it was started by the forefathers in the church. According to Quora, celibacy was introduced by Gregory the Great.

In 1322 Pope John XXII insisted that no one bound in marriage—even if unconsummated—could be ordained unless there was full knowledge of the requirements of Church law. If the free consent of the wife had not been obtained, the husband, even if already ordained, was to be reunited with his wife, the exercise of his ministry being barred. Accordingly, the assumption that a wife might not want to give up her marital rights may have been one of the factors contributing to the eventual universal practice in the Latin Church of ordaining only unmarried men.

Despite all the Clergy suggestions about celibacy and marriage, when asked whether the practice would draw more people into the church, He replied that he didn’t think so because there have been priests with wives and children, especially in the East.  

There has always been a lot of controversy around priests and keeping this command which they take as an oath before God to serve Him diligently. The Church has been grappling with it, with some cases reported and sorted while many remain in the dark, as seen here, here, and here.

Conclusion:

Yes, it is true that Pope Francis, during an interview marking his tenth year of  Papal journey,  was recorded saying that celibacy can be revised because it’s temporary. Similarly, he said the Church denying priests sex is equally temporary.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Data Story: Covid-19 vaccine, the fear of the unknown

Apparently, as  of February 2023, only 21.82 % of the South Sudanese population and 48.50 % of the target population are fully vaccinated, a figure way below the WHO recommended 60%.

Writer: Jibi Moses

Covid-19 (SARS-COV-2) was first reported in China’s Wuhan City in late 2019 and later led to reported cumulative cases of up to 988,737,697  Later on spread throughout the globe like wildfire and by 30th January 2020, World Health Organisation (WHO) had to declare it as a Public health emergency of international concern. Subsequently, on 11th March 2020, it was characterised as a pandemic outbreak. It has  caused a lot of fatalities in different parts of the world, especially in the United States of America, with a cumulative figure of 101,496,168 total reported cases. And Europe with 272,423,077, where France, Germany, England and Italy were among the most affected. Africa recorded 895189 cases and South Sudan with 18,360 as of 15th February 2023 after the first reported case on 5th of April 2020.

The principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 is through exposure to respiratory fluids carrying the infectious virus. Exposure occurs in three principal ways: inhalation of very fine respiratory droplets and aerosol particles; deposition of respiratory droplets and particles on exposed mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, or eye by direct splashes and sprays; and touching mucous membranes with hands that have been soiled either directly by virus-containing respiratory fluids or indirectly by touching surfaces with the fluids.

The virus keeps mutating, changing itself, and creating panic in the world. In other parts of the world, it looks down with reduced or no reported new cases on most days. In China, however, although most of its population is vaccinated, the cases continue to be reported daily.

The totally strange pandemic caused panic and fear as new cases were being reported, and the number of fatalities kept on growing every other day.  The panic and anxiety was fuelled by the absence of correct information on the ground. The existence of the Internet and mainly social media made it easy for the spread of false information. Misinformation, disinformation and rumors about the pandemic were spread  too. A Lot of predictions were made, especially about Africa. Luckily enough, some didn’t come to fulfillment.

With all these scientists and pharmaceutical companies across the globe did their best in research and tried to come up with varieties of vaccines to curb the epidemic. And  among these are AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BionTech and Johnson and Johnson. Much as these vaccines were easily accepted in some parts of the world and had an impact, they were received with resistance especially in Africa and mainly in areas where cases of fatalities  were not much, and South Sudan is not an exception. 

The vaccine faced resistance from the public and the anti vaccinators  spreading misinformation and rumors such as; covid-19 vaccines were intended to wipe out the African race, and myths that vaccines make one infertile. Also, some said covid-19 generally made to clear out the old generation and since many people didn’t die in Africa. Some now didn’t see any reason to get vaccinated as the danger of the pandemic is no longer scary.

Fig. 1. Pie Chart showing the Covid-19 vaccine uptake in the 10 States

Since the  vaccine was first introduced in April 2021. The Ministry of Health Statistics shows South Sudan’s vaccinated population is  21.89% of  the total population of 13,676,376  in February 2023. According to the WHO standard, this figure is too low to achieve public health safety; at least  60-70 % of the population should be vaccinated. The figure put South Sudan at the bottom with the least percentage of vaccine uptake in the region, besides the availability of the vaccine in the country and in most Health facilities.  This, therefore, poses a question, why are South  Sudanese hesitant to take up the vaccine

Total populationTarget populationTotal persons fully vaccinated Percentage of all ages population fully vaccinatedPercentage  of target population(18 years and above) fully vaccinated.
13,676,3766,154,4162,984,73121.82%48.50%

Fig.2. Table showing the details of the Total,Target Population and People fully vaccinated in Percentages   

More details from the Ministry of Health further shows that 

Fig.3  A Bar Chart showing the number of people vaccinated in the Ten states (Females and Males)

Fig.4 A graph showing the percentage of people vaccinated in different categories.

Mr. Mawa Bosco, the Founder and Executive Director of Ristal Institute in Juba, thinks South Sudanese are hesitant to take up the vaccine because they don’t see the need. He further says that unlike neighboring countries, we didn’t record many cases admitted at Intensive Care Unit(ICU). If I say we survived covid-19 because of intervention, that would be wrong. 

We just survived by God’s Grace. He said this in an interview at his office in Gurei.

So some people didn’t take the corona virus seriously from that point. Mapour, a journalist in Juba, says that religion also played a big role in tuning people’s minds to whether or not to take the vaccine. He gave an example of Jonglei state, a state with many people believing in different religious denominations but  less vaccine uptake.

The vaccine uptake has faced resistance because of rumors, myths and beliefs. But coming to understand, several people in the population do not know what vaccines are and how they work!

StatePopulationTotal persons fully vaccinated %age of all ages. Population fully vaccinated Target Population %of Target population (18+) fully vaccinated 
Northern Bahr El Ghazal1,173,396358,87330.58%528,02467.97%
Western Equatoria892,584265,65529.76%401,67666.14%
Warrap1,585,428409,52125.83%713,44857.40%
Unity 1,032,756255,40624.73%464,73654.96%
Eastern Equatoria1,649,100368,64922.35%742,10449.68%
Lakes1,246,788272,40921.85%561,07248.55%
Upper Nile1,609,260319,41219.85%724,17644.11%
Western Bahr El Ghazal544,95695,70917.56%245,23239.03%
Jondlie 2,118,140369,42417.44%953,17038.76%
Central Equatoria 1,811,004269,67314.89%814,94433.09%
Total13,676,3762,984,73121.82%6,154,41648.50%
Fig. 6. A table showing the details of the statistics of the population vaccinated in the ten states

Source : Ministry Of Health, South Sudan Government

 What are vaccines and their importance ?

Meanwhile some people who reject the vaccine and discourage others may not know what vaccines are and how they work. 

Vaccine is an antigenic preparation (Antigen) when introduced into an organism, induces the production of antibodies capable of fighting off infection of that organism by a given microorganism. The World Health Organization explains in detail how vaccines work in this explainer

They further go ahead to explain the importance of vaccinating the population. Vaccination protects the community, even those who cannot take the vaccine. Some people have lying conditions that could not enable them to take the vaccine. However, if most people are vaccinated, they will be protected too.

Dr Alfred Driwale of Makerere University says that  when an individual is vaccinated, that is personal health, but to achieve Public health, the majority of the population should be vaccinated.  

Dr Alfred Driwale further explains that complacency, lack of confidence, and convenience are the main contributing factors to vaccine hesitancy. He says that when there is a low perceived risk of vaccine-preventable diseases,  vaccination is not seen as necessary. Sometimes when other life/ health issues are a greater priority, vaccination is put on hold, furthermore, when the population has low trust and confidence in the vaccines, delivery systems and the health systems. Finally barriers related to geographic accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability of the services. All these factors lead to low turn up.

Is there any hope?

On the 28th. January 2023, the government of South Sudan launched the second phase of the campaign. Through the Ministry of Health and partners: World Bank, Unicef and World Health Organisation, they aim to vaccinate 2.4 million South Sudanese of 18 and above years.

“We started by targeting the vulnerable groups of people like the health workers,and established 735 facilities   and 251 mobile units, we also trained and deployed health personnels in 26 idps and 22 refugee centers. However, consumption remained low as only 221236 eligible people were fully vaccinated. This translates to 16.4 % as per December 2022. Our target is to vaccinate 2,421,771 eligible persons of 18 years and above. Said Rev. Janet Micheal: Director General, Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health. 

During the same function, the Head of World Bank Group South Sudan, Dr. Firas Raad, said the country received 2.4 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines in November 2022. Therefore, he called the public to come out willing to take the vaccine.

H.E Hussein  AbdelBagi Akol, the Vice president for Service cluster, decried the low coverage of the vaccine uptake, and he attributed this to limited information, especially in the village areas, high poverty levels and competing priorities, weak health system and continuous myths. He also observed that there’s open rejection of the vaccine by religious leaders. 

However, he promised to tighten the procedures and make sure the vaccine is accessible to everyone, in addition to making conditions hard for those who are not vaccinated.  said there’s no need for a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)  test when traveling as long as one is fully vaccinated. However, it will be demanded if not vaccinated: ‘ we shall continue to charge you for these tests until we are all vaccinated. The Minister of Health, Yolanda Awel Deng, warned the public about counterfeit drugs. People should go to public facilities to get the vaccine. 

Much as the uptake was too low, continuous  intervention by the government and implementing partners have tried to  improve the situation. David Manyang, the  Voice of Reconciliation  Radio Station Manager in Bor, said there was a lot of Misinformation and beliefs, especially religious. He said covid19 in the state was associated with the devil, and the fact that the Ministry of Health’s hotline is 6666 made people easily misled. However, with continued  awareness on Radio and offline, the people realized it was not true.

Jibi Moses Korsuk wrote this article under the sponsorship of the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communication after successfully completing the fellowship for Excellence in Journalism.

Fact-check: Customs market battery photo traced to Zambia

According to google’s reverse image, the image was taken in Zambia and first posted on Zambia Reports’ Facebook page on 2/03/2023.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

South Sudan Exposed, a South Sudanese online publication, posted on its Facebook a picture claiming it was taken in Custom, a market in the South Sudan capital, Juba city.

The post was captioned ‘somewhere in Custom market’ by South Sudan Exposed, which writes on various news in the whole country with 9,400 likes and over 10,000 followers on Facebook. 

The post with the picture allegedly taken at the Customs market portrays fake batteries sold as new in the Custom Market.

A screenshot of a fake battery from the South Sudan Exposed’s Facebook page

Investigation:

On doing a Reverse Image Search on Google, the 211 Check team found that this image was first reported in Zambia by a local online news organisation named Zambia Report. 

According to the Zambia Report Facebook page, the batteries are sold at Matero – Lusaka, Zambia.

We could not track down any reputable news outlets that reported on the alleged incident.

A screenshot of Zambia Report Facebook page post

Conclusion:

The claim that a battery photo was taken in Customs Market is false. A Google reverse image search shows that the image originated from Zambia, not the Juba Customs market.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: No, an Angel didn’t appear in Rumbek town

No, this picture has been used in Zambia and Kenya. All the evidence shows that this picture didn’t originate from Rumbek, South Sudan

Writer: Jibi Moses

An image posted on a local online Facebook page Juba Eye, claiming an Angel was seen in Rumbek town, is false.

The post that reads, “An Angel has reportedly appeared in Rumbek town this evening”, attracted over one thousand reactions, three hundred comments and thirty-six shares. However, from the comments people were already making on the posts, there were concerns.

A screenshot of the image reported to have been An Angel in Rumbek

Investigation:

A reverse image search on Google by 211 Check returns results showing that the image in the post had been used before in Zambia, with the same claim of an Angel spotted in Mongu Zambia by a Facebook user in the name of Hon Chardrin Nseema Nseemanini- Speaks.; further still, it has been used in other social media pages as shown in here, here, and here,

The same claim was fact-checked in Kenya by Kenyan.co.ke, an online news outlet by a journalist Maureen Njeri, on 4 March 2023. A YouTube video posted on the 5th of March, 2023, gives more clues after the ‘angel’ was reportedly seen in the Gaturi area, Murang’a County in Kenya.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that an Angel appeared in Rumbek town false. Reverse image searches very clearly tell that no Angel was seen in Rumbek. 

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: This man with dog meat was not arrested at Gudele One

Much as the man pictured while handcuffed was with what seems to be dog meat, he wasn’t arrested in South Sudan’s capital Juba, along Gudele Street.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A Facebook page in the name of Atar News made a viral post with a picture of a man alongside meat and in handcuffs, but the claim is false.

The page claimed the man in the picture shared had been selling dog meat along Gudele Street in Juba city for about a year. “A businessman was caught slaughtering dogs in Gudele One. The man was a roasted meat seller along Juba – Gudele road,” the post partly reads.

The post attracted over 30 reactions, ten comments and eight shares in less than a day.

A screenshot of the post made by Atar News

Investigation:

On running a reverse image search on Bing and Google, several results showed that the same picture was used in  Uganda with the same claims of dog meat selling attached. Here are some links used on Twitter (1, 2, 3) and YouTube videos.

We could not find credible media sources reporting on this alleged incident in South Sudan. Therefore, it is important to approach this claim with scepticism until further evidence supports its veracity.

Conclusion: 

The above picture was neither taken on Gudele Street nor in South Sudan. This misinformation can cause mistrust in the population about people who sell meat, especially those selling roasted meat alongside the ways. 

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: A Facebook post saying banks in South Sudan are approving loans is a scam

There is no South Sudanese bank giving out loans, this is another online fraud. It shows how scammers use fake loan adverts to trick people into giving their personal information.

Writer: Jibi Moses 

Beware of loan scams on social media! A post with the bold headline “New Loan, Apply for up to $16000” is making rounds on social media in South Sudan. The post claims that banks in the country approve loans of up to $20,000, even for those with debt, and provides a link for interested individuals to click to access the loan money. However, the post is nothing but a scam.

The page behind the post, named Finance-Personal loans, introduces itself as Escrow, and it is neither rated nor has any reviews. Only a few people reacted to the post, but some expressed interest in the opportunity.

The link in the post leads to a page that asks how much money you need and provides four options to choose from. Clicking on any of the figures takes you to the next page, which looks a little suspicious. The page asks if you have a credit card and gives you three options to choose from: “Yes,” “No,” or “No, I would like to.”

Screenshot of the false post on Facebook

A screenshot of the main advert of the post.

After selecting an option, you will be directed to another page where you need to confirm that you are not a robot. After that, you will be redirected to a website owned by M&T Bank, an American bank holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York.

The website has unclear instructions, but a small instruction says, “I need my loan.”

The template where one is given the options of money amount 

“When you click on any of the amounts or figures above, the next slide appears scary and suspicious.

“Do you have a credit card?” is the question presented, with the options of “Yes,” “No,” or “I would like to.” You must select an option to continue.”

“Whatever choice you make, you will be directed to the next page, where you will be asked to confirm that you are not a robot. 

This is a website of M&T BANK with unclear instructions, except for a small instruction that I need for my loan.”

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the link provided in the post, when analysed on Whois, was for a different company called Returso. M&T Bank has no branch in South Sudan or dealings in the country. Therefore, the post is nothing but a scam, and no banks in South Sudan are giving out loans to anyone.

Screenshot showing Whois information for the scam site

Screenshot showing Whois information for M&T Bank

M&T BANK

Meanwhile, M&T Bank Corporation is an American Bank holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. It has no branch in South Sudan nor any dealings in the country.

Conclusion:

Based on the information presented, the entire article appears to be fraudulent since no South Sudan banks provide loans to individuals. The two organisations, Returso and M&T Bank mentioned do not have a presence in this region, and their websites do not indicate any offers for free loans.

Scammers use these tricks for fishing out people’s personal details, which they later use for personal gains. These personal details include email addresses, bank account information, social media accounts, and more. It is important to remain vigilant and protect oneself against cybercrime.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Before applying for any loans, research and check the authenticity of the institution offering the loan. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: This image was not taken in Juba

A viral picture claiming to have been taken in Juba, South Sudan, of someone sleeping outside under a mosquito net due to an alleged earthquake was taken in Uganda in June 2022.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A viral picture was posted on social media claiming to have been taken in Juba, but this is unproven. Among these pages that shared the claim are Aweil TV and a Facebook user name Sir Yol Isaac. Together the posts garnered over 80 reactions.

The post, which the owner posted at the end, was posted when a rumour was making rounds alleging the purported occurrence of an earthquake in  Juba, the capital city of South Sudan and other parts of the country.

The photo appears to show someone sleeping outside under a mosquito net after people were told not to sleep inside their houses to avoid fatalities—a rumour debunked by 211 Check.

A screenshot of the image.

A reverse image search by 211 Check on the image shows that it was once used by Juba, South Sudan, in September 2022. It partly reads, “..This life has no balance, with images of tears of South Sudanese citizens.”

It appears to have been first posted on June 19, 2022, by Muvistar SaveLife Youth Foundation Uganda, a community-based nonprofit, with the caption, “I was amazed seeing this boy trying to save his life from Malaria by setting up a Mosquito net. Street Children’s influence increases every day in the urban cities of Uganda.”

It was also shared on Twitter here on October 23, 2022.

Conclusion:

The viral image claiming to show someone sleeping outside under a mosquito net in Juba, South Sudan, due to an alleged earthquake, is false and originated in Uganda in June 2022, according to a reverse image search by 211 Check. It highlights the importance of fact-checking viral images before sharing them on social media platforms to avoid spreading misinformation.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Data Story: 10.23% rise in the number of students registered for the certificate of secondary education examinations this year

35,459 candidates registered for the CSE exams in the academic year 2022/23, with 22,920 males and 12,539 females. Last year, 32,167 candidates registered, with 21,799 males and 10,368 females.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction released the schedule for the 2022/23 Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) Examinations last week, which will take place from March 20 to March 31, 2023.

According to Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, 35,459 candidates have registered for the 2022/23 academic year exams. There are 12,539 females and 22,920 males among them.

However, compared to the previous year, when 32,167 candidates enrolled, including 21,799 males and 10,368 females, this year’s total number of candidates registered represents a 10.23% percent decrease.

Male candidates increased by 1,121 from 21,799 in the 2021/22 exams, and female candidates also increased by 2,171 from 10,368 the previous year.

YearMalesFemalesTotal
2020/2122,72411,63834,362
2021/2221,79910,36832,167
2022/2322,92012,53935,459
Table showing number of CSE candidates for the last three years

Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, explained that the small number of candidates this academic year is due to security issues in certain regions of South Sudan, the adverse effects of COVID-19, which caused extended school closures, and the destructive floods.

S/NoState/AreaNumber of CandidatesNumber of Schools
Abyei Administrative Area2585
Jonglei State1,39820
Lakes State1,90115
Unity State77720
Pibor Administrative Area421
Eastern Equatoria State2,51629
Ruweng Administrative Area1,52319
Western Equatoria State1,29429
Central Equatoria State13,942135
Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State2,02828
Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State3,07526
Warrap State1,82628
Upper Nile State1,87328
IDP Juba3,00415
Table showing number of Candidates and Schools by State and Administrative Areas
Document showing statistics of students for this year’s CSE

Conclusion:

This data analysis indicates that secondary education in South Sudan is on the rise, despite a slight overall decrease in the number of registered candidates. The increase in male and female candidates, while remaining lower than the male candidate count, is a positive sign that more females are pursuing secondary education and have access to the necessary resources. This could indicate a shift in attitudes towards female education in South Sudan and an overall increase in investment in education. However, further research is needed to better understand the situation in South Sudan, particularly in terms of educational opportunities and resources available to students.