Saturday , May 30, 2026 (Baidoa Online) -More than 25,000 students across Somalia's Puntland region have begun sitting unified school-leaving examinations for the final years of middle and secondary education.
According to Puntland's Ministry of Education, 25,179 candidates are taking the exams, which cover Grade 8 and Grade 12 students across the region.
The examinations are being held at centres in Puntland's various districts and are overseen by education authorities, who say measures have been put in place to ensure the process is conducted fairly and securely.
The unified examination system has been administered by Puntland for the past 23 years and is regarded by officials as a key part of the region's education framework.
Education authorities say the exams help maintain common academic standards and provide a centralised assessment system for students completing their primary and secondary education.
Parents and teachers have expressed hope that students will perform well after months of preparation.
The examinations are expected to continue over the coming days, with results to be announced after marking and verification have been completed.
Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, has operated its own education administration for more than two decades, including the organisation of standardised examinations for school graduates.
