MOGADISHU, June 15 -- About 7,000 Somali students sat for their final school examination for the first time in 25 years on Monday as the Horn of Africa nation seeks to revive its education system.

Acting Premier Abdullahi Amed Jama said the country was making steady progress in reforming its education system.

"It is a great day for us taking centralized examination from our secondary schools today. This is the progress our country is making now, I wish you success in the exam," Ahmed told the candidates in Mogadishu before the examination kicked off.

Internal Security Minister, Abdirisak Omar Mohamed, told reporters that security forces have been deployed to beef up security and thwart any terror threats where the examinations are taking place.

Mohamed also wished the students to excel in the ongoing examinations to enable them secure employment across the country and abroad.

This is the first centralized examination in which the federal government takes for students who completed secondary schools in Somalia since 1991.