More Than 563,000 Students Sitting for Grade 12 National Examination

Addis Ababa, June 30, 2026 (ENA) —A total of 563,501 students are sitting for the Grade 12 national examination, the Ministry of Education announced.

Education Minister, Professor Berhanu Nega announced the start of the national examination during a briefing held at the Abrehot Library today.

Briefing the media on the administration of the exam, the Minister said it will be delivered through a hybrid model encompassing both online and paper-based formats.

Of the total registered candidates for this year’s school-leaving examination, 62 percent will take the exam online, while the remaining students will sit for the paper-based version.

The Minister expressed optimism for higher passing rates this academic year, attributing the positive outlook to the extensive tutorial support provided for the students.

He emphasized that Robust measures remain in place to safeguard academic integrity, ensuring a completely cheating-free environment where candidates are evaluated solely on their individual merit and competence.

Addis Ababa Education Bureau Head, Zelalem Mulatu, stated that 58,309 candidates are registered to sit for the national exam in the capital city.

He said the school-leaving examination will be administered entirely online across all testing centers in Addis Ababa.