MOGADISHU (SD) – More than 42,000 secondary school students in Somalia have started their national exams on Saturday.

The Somali government has been trying to revive the education system since 2015 after years of a dysfunctional education system.

The exams will take place in the capital and in more than 150 centers in four federal states – Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Southwest and Jubbaland.

Benadir region records the highest number of students to take their exams today with 26,688 students, 1672 students from Hirshabelle State, 2407 students from Galmudug Province, Jubaland Province, 4341 students from Southwest State and 5708 students from Puntland State.

“44444 students are ready to take the exams, the exams started on Saturday,” the Ministry of Education said, “It shows the progress achieved”.

Hundreds of Security forces have been deployed in more than 180 test centers to increase student safety.

The ministry said that more than 3,500 supervisors and auditors have been appointed to oversee the exams.

Somalia held central national tests in 2015 for the first time in 25 years since the government’s 1991 collapse.