Prime
School closed, director arrested over misusing Uneb registration fees
The premises of Equator High School in Nyendo-Mukungwe Municipality, Masaka City. PHOTO | GERTRUDE MUTYABA
What you need to know:
- The director had requested affected parents to pay Shs500,000 each to release their children's results, but they refused, insisting they had cleared all school dues
The director of Equator High School in Nyendo-Mukungwe Municipality, Mr Leonard Ahimbisibwe is behind bars at Nyendo Police Station over the alleged misuse of students’ examination registration fees.
This followed complaints by parents that their children who sat Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) last year, have not yet received their results. A total of 14 students sat for their UCE exams at the school whereas 11 sat for UACE.
The examining body, Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) released UCE and UACE results in February and March this year respectively.
It is alleged that Mr Ahimbisibwe used the money of 2023 candidates to pay outstanding debts he had with Uneb in 2022.
Mr Hudu Hussein, the Masaka Resident City Commissioner, said they have also established that the school’s operational license had also expired.
“I am going to ask the city clerk to take over Masaka City Education Officer, Mr Steven Kakeeto’s role because the manner in which he runs his office is questionable. How can he say the school does not have a license yet it is operating and parents pay fees,” Mr Hudu said in an interview on Saturday.
He said the dormitories are very filthy and the school environment is not conducive for learning.
“The school does not meet the basic requirements. We have guidelines that were issued by the Ministry of Education and Sports in respect of what the basics required of any school to operate,” Mr Hudu said.
He said his decision to close the school is intended to save 2024 candidates who may also face a similar fate.
“I advise parents to find other schools where their children can sit the exams from, they should not fall victims because that school was operating illegally,” he added.
Mr Ahimbisibwe, says he will share with the detectives during interrogation what went wrong.
He had requested affected parents to pay Shs500,000 each to release their children's results, but they refused, insisting they had cleared all school dues.
