GAROOWE (SD) – The Ministry of Education and Higher Education of the Puntland regional state government has announced the names of the top 10 students in the 8th grade exam in Puntland middle schools in 2022.

Among the top 10 students, 7 are girls, led by Ikraan Abdirahman Abdullahi, who won the first place in the 8th grade exam, attending Sinai school in Galkayo.

A total of 18,550 of middle and high school students sat for the certification exam this year in Puntland.

Girls often do not get access to equal education opportunities as their male counterparts, as they are often married off to much older men at a very young age.

This result announced by Puntland has been welcomed by parents and organizations that campaigned for the education of Somali girls.