Prime
UNEB withholds PLE results of 2,220 candidates
UNEB executive secretary, Mr Dan Odongo pictured during the official release of the results on July 16, 2021. PHOTO/ DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- First Lady and Education minister Janet Museveni has called upon schools and other stakeholders to put to an end corruption in form of examination malpractice.
Uganda National Examination Board (Uneb) has withheld results of 2,220 candidates who sat for the 2020 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) and are pending investigations. A total of 749,761 candidates registered for the 2020 PLE.
This number is higher than results withheld for the 2019 PLE candidates.
In 2019, Uneb withheld results of 1,512 candidates. This means the number of withheld results has increased by 46.8 per cent.
While releasing results yesterday at State House Entebbe, Uneb Executive Secretary Dan Odongo said examination malpractice was reported inside examination rooms, as well as cases of impersonation.
“In accordance with Section 5 (2) (b) of the Uneb Act No1 of 2021, the board will withhold results of 2,220 candidates pending completion of investigations. Schools whose results are withheld will be notified through district inspectors of schools,” Mr Odongo said yesterday.
“Scouts and examiners reported a number of cases of suspected external assistance given to candidates inside the examination rooms by third parties. Three cases of suspected impersonation were also detected,” Mr Odongo said.
The largest numbers of withheld results are from Rwenzori sub-region in the districts of Bundibugyo and Kasese.
Mr Odongo added that some of the people entrusted to distribute examination papers in areas of Nakasongola and greater Masaka were arrested for tampering with them along the way and these will be prosecuted.
Just like last year, some people were arrested for vending fake papers on the eve of the examination.
According to Uneb, this was due to some teachers who felt their students were not ready.
Last year, candidates sat for exams under unusual circumstances as a result of Covid-19. When Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in March last year, schools were closed and reopened after more than four months in a phased manner.
Mr Martin Okiria Obore, the chairperson of the Association of Secondary School Head teachers of Uganda (ASSHU), said:
“The problem was many teachers were desperate and thinking they had not prepared their candidates enough, yet they want a name so that they can admit large number of students.”
However, Mr Obore applauded Uneb for efforts such as laws and technology for monitoring to curb exam malpractice.
According to the Uneb Act 2021, the board has the power to cancel an examination or any part of an examination where it is satisfied that there has been an irregularity in the course of preparation, conduct of that examination, among others.
The board may also cancel the results of a candidate under circumstances of malpractice such as copying.
Mr Odongo said all candidates whose results have been withheld will be accorded a fair hearing by the board examination security committee.
After the hearings are concluded, the board will publish in the media the list of schools and districts from which results have been cancelled.
First Lady and Education minister Janet Museveni has called upon schools and other stakeholders to put to an end corruption in form of examination malpractice.
“It is distributing to note that some of our education stakeholders, including teachers, are not heeding our call to desist from the evil practice of cheating in exams and some schools and districts are preliminary known for cheating examinations for their candidates year after year,” she said.
