Gabon education minister resigns over exam row

Students check lists on October 8, 2007 at a high school in the capital Libreville during the opening of the school year. By Martin van Der Belen (AFP/File)

Libreville (AFP) - Gabon's education minister has resigned due to a scandal after hundreds of students failed the country's high-school exams, local media reported on Monday.

Prime Minister Daniel Ona Ondo "acknowledges the resignation of the Minister of Education and Technical Education, Leon Nzouba," said government spokeswoman Denise Mekamne.

Nzouba is the first Gabonese minister to step down from office in almost 20 years.

He was heavily criticised for his handling of a dispute involving 900 students who were deemed to have failed their high-school exams but who challenged their grades.

The students claim to have been penalised by recent reforms meaning their marks obtained during previous years no longer count towards the final exam result.

Nzouba initially awarded the students with the qualification following protests, before changing his mind.

The former minister was pictured in August on his knees in front of protesting students, an image that made the rounds on social media and sparked public ridicule for Nzouba.