Denden Award Presented to Outstanding Students in the Southern Region

Mendefera, 22 August 2026 – The National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education branch in the Southern Region, presented the Denden Award to outstanding students who achieved high scores in the national school-leaving examination. The award recipients are members of the 38th round of national service.

At a ceremony held in Mendefera on 20 August, the award was presented to 302 outstanding students, 42% of whom were female, who attained GPAs of 3.0 and above. Of these, 81 students attained a GPA of 4.0. Dubarwa High School also received a special award for having the highest number of students who achieved passing marks in the national school-leaving examination.

Underlining that the quality of education can be enhanced through the active participation of all institutions, Mr. Girmay Gebru, Head of the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students in the Southern Region, said that the Denden Award makes a significant contribution to promoting healthy competition among students.

Noting that proper follow-up and guidance from parents and teachers are key to helping students achieve outstanding results, Ms. Blale Araya, speaking on behalf of the Head of the Education Office in the region, said that recognizing students who achieve high scores in the eighth grade and national school-leaving examinations makes a significant contribution to improving their academic performance.

Mr. Habteab Tesfatsion, Governor of the region, congratulated the award recipients and wished them success in their college education.

Since the Denden Award was introduced in 2022 to recognize students who achieve high scores in the national school-leaving examination, 1,467 students have received the award over five rounds.

In related news, Denden High School in Asmara recognized 103 outstanding students who attained GPAs of 3.0 and above, as well as 15 exemplary teachers.

Mr. Daniel Habte, Director of the school, said that recognizing outstanding students and exemplary teachers makes a significant contribution to motivating others and improving the teaching-learning process.

Noting that the progress Denden High School is registering in enhancing the quality of education is the result of the strong efforts it is exerting, Ms. Askalu Fesehaye, Head of the Education Office in the west east sub-zone, wished the award recipients success in their college education and called on parents to continue supporting their children.