By Maher Ahmed - Reporter
Somalia, 15 June 2026 – More than 46,000 students began grade eight certificate exams in Mogadishu on Monday, Banadir regional officials said, marking a rise in candidates compared with last year.
Banadir Governor and Mogadishu Mayor, Hassan Mohamed Mungab, congratulated the candidates and wished them success.
Education officials in Banadir said 46,225 students are sitting the exams this year across 125 centres in different districts of the capital.
The candidates include 24,717 boys and 21,508 girls, officials said. They also include 38 students with special needs, including visually impaired students, who were provided with special exam arrangements.
Officials said some foreign students, including Sudanese students living in Mogadishu, were also taking part in the exams, although they did not disclose their number.
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Mungab said security forces, including police and intelligence personnel, had been deployed to help secure the exam centres. He said health and emergency teams were also on standby.
The mayor said the Banadir administration and the federal Education Ministry were committed to improving education in the capital through better learning centres, trained teachers and stronger school management.
He also said the regional administration will reward students who achieve top results in this year’s exams.
Last year, 41,076 students sat the grade eight exams in Banadir. This year’s figure of 46,225 represents an increase of about 12.5%.