The academic future of at least 11 students from West Ville High School in Kabarole District is in jeopardy after it was revealed that their head teacher failed to register them for the ongoing Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams.
Mr. Edson Tumwine, the school’s head teacher, reached out to the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) to address the issue.
He stated that these students failed to confirm their registration in time for the exams.
Mr. Tumwine explained that by the time the candidates realized they had not been registered, it was already too late.
Uneb’s spokesperson, Ms. Jenifer Kalule, confirmed that Mr. Tumwine approached Uneb on October 12, just one day before the candidates’ briefing. He requested the examinations board to register the affected students.
However, Ms. Kalule noted that Mr. Tumwine’s request came on the eve of the candidates’ briefing, making it practically impossible for Uneb to register these students, as all the necessary procedures had been completed.
She added that Uneb has instructed the police to investigate how these students, who had paid their registration fees on time, were not registered because their details were not sent to Uneb.
Ms. Kalule revealed that the administration is willing to support the affected learners if they are given another opportunity.
The students have missed six papers since the exams began on Monday.
In a related development, three students from Kilembe High School in Mitooma District did not show up for the Chemistry Practical exams on Tuesday after completing Geography papers on Monday.
Additionally, ten other students from Kawempe Crane High School initially faced difficulties sitting for the first paper due to unpaid school fees.
The situation escalated to the point where the students had to involve the police. Following police intervention, they were allowed to sit for the exams.
However, three of the affected students could not reach the school within the 30-minute timeframe stipulated by Uneb and missed the first paper.
Nevertheless, they were allowed to sit for Mathematics Paper Two in the afternoon.
Since the UCE exams began on Monday, Uneb has reported three significant cases of malpractice. One case involved a head teacher in Kwania District who allegedly received an examination papers envelope that was cut below the seal.
Officials at the examination center confirmed that the envelope was intact when he picked it up.
Another case involved two students from St Michael Secondary School, Nyagoma, who allegedly wrote each other’s index numbers in two Geography papers on Monday and attempted to do the same for the chemistry practical on Tuesday.
The third case involved a student from another school who allegedly provided answers for the practical paper without conducting the practical sessions. All three candidates are currently under investigation by Uneb.
Furthermore, in Nagalama, the police arrested a head teacher from Kalagi on charges of sharing electronic information claiming to be Uneb examination papers.
The suspect was reportedly sharing the fake material from his phone and extorting money from unsuspecting individuals.
Ms. Kalule stated that he will be brought to court to answer to charges of aiding and abetting malpractice.
In Bushenyi, police also arrested another head teacher for allegedly sharing information claiming to be examination material for a Uneb Biology practical paper. S
tudents were scheduled to take the Biology practical in the morning and Commerce in the afternoon.
