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Two candidates die during UCE exams as 10 teachers held over malpractice
Uneb spokesperson Jennifer Kalule. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- In the other special occasions, a candidate delivered a baby on October 19.
At least two special needs candidates died while about 10 examination officials have been arrested over malpractice during the first week of the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, according to Uganda National Examination Board (Uneb).
Authorities say the deceased were both suffering from sickle cell.
“These are Edwin Wamutale from St Noah Mawaggali SS in Jinja and Celine Anne Namuwase, who was a student at St Andrew Kaggwa Ggombe High School in Kawaala, Kampala,” Uneb disclosed.
Addressing journalists on Monday, Uneb spokesperson Jennifer Kalule revealed that since exams started on October 16, the board has registered cases where teachers and invigilators allegedly engaged in assisting candidates.
“Last week was successful but we had a few cases of malpractice involving assistance, digital sharing of materials and two head teachers were involved in damaging the examination envelopes,” Kalule said.
“We have had a number of arrests and two people have been arraigned in court and remanded in prisons. Other cases are still being followed up by the police and we do expect that they are going to be brought to a conclusion,” she added.
Kalule told journalists in Kampala that at least six teachers and an invigilator at Napita Secondary school in Yumbe District were arrested and charged with possession of unauthorized material and disturbing examination progress.
The suspects are Julius Caesar Obbo, Boniface Nibiningirwa, Godwin Wasswa, James Bamukabire, Emmanuel Okello, Saddam Hussein and Josephine Angukoru, who are all teachers at the same school.
“While exams were under way on October 19, these teachers together with invigilator Bosco Oryem came into examination rooms with smart phones, a laptop and power banks under the pretext of charging them. This was very suspicious and the scouts called the police,” Kalule said.
“Investigations were carried out and it was found that Obbo’s smart contained the answers for the Biology practical. Police continue to follow up on this case,” she noted on Monday.
In the other special occasions, a candidate delivered a baby on October 19.
“Good enough the candidate did not have any paper on the day she gave birth. The baby and the mother are all well and the mother resumed with the examinations the following day after delivery,” Kalule said.
On October 23, UCE candidates started their second week of the national examinations with Physics Paper One in the morning and Physics paper Two in the afternoon even as Kalule urged candidates, schools, parents and examination supervisors to stay away from all forms of examination malpractices which may lead to criminal charges and cancellations of results as prescribed in the Uneb Act 2021.
