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Another Kasese Senior Four candidate dies during UCE exams
An examination officicial delivers answer sheets to candidates during national exams while inset is Bwera Secondary School (SS) student Sulaina Nabasirye who died on October 15, 2024. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Deterioration of her health prompted school matron Penina Biira to rush her to Bwera General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:30am (October 15).
Police in Kasese have confirmed the death of another Senior Four (S4) candidate at Bwera Secondary School during the ongoing Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) final national exams.
Bwera Secondary School (SS) student Sulaina Nabasiryemysteriously died aged 18 at Bwera General Government Hospital on Tuesday, authorities said.
Bwera SS is located in Mpondwe–Lhubiriha Town Council, Bukonzo West County.
Police say Nabasirye started experiencing difficulties in breathing overnight October 14, following completion of her first papers on Monday.
Deterioration of her health prompted school matron Penina Biira to rush her to Bwera General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:30am (October 15).
“It’s unfortunate that the school has lost one of its trusted candidates who on Monday sat her first papers alongside her classmates. She also participated in the evening preparations afterwards,” Rwenzori Regional police spokesperson SP Nelson Tumushime said.
Bwera SS Anglican chaplain Rev. Yozephano Opolot told Monitor that Nabasirye participated in Monday evening prayers despite being Muslim.
“She had no signs of any sickness. When we learnt of her sudden death, we comforted her classmates and prayed to God for strength. This morning, other candidates were allowed to view their colleague’s body before proceeding to the examination room,” he added.
According to available information, Nabasirye hails from Rubirizi District but the father has another home at the customs area in Mpondwe - Lhubiriha Town Council where the body was taken for the last respect on Tuesday. Her body is expected to be transported to her ancestral village in Bunyaruguru for burial.
Rev Opolot disclosed that Nabasirye’s demise means the school has lost two S.4 students in two months.
“The other one died by suicide at the beginning of this term. This was the boy whom we had suspended over indiscipline and he was advised to find some other school where he would be studying and come back at the time of doing the UCE examinations,” he said.
“He was suspended in 2nd term and transferred to another sister school in Kitholhu Sub-county,” he added.
Bwera SS initially registered 269 candidates for UCE exams organized by Uganda National Examination Board (Uneb).
On October 12, Karambi Secondary School S4 candidate Emma Maate also died by suicide after attending last Friday’s briefing at the learning institution in Bukonzo West County.
It is believed that Maate hanged himself following allegations that he impregnated a student in S.1 at the same school.
