By Jumah Kakomo
A total of 349,445 candidates were registered and are scheduled to sit Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) 2022, from 3,703 examination centers under the theme “integrity and security in the management of examinations; the health and safety of learners is a joint responsibility”.
Among these, 175,923 that is 50.3% are males, while 173,522 that is 49.7% are females, and a total of 114,200 that is 32.7% are funded under the universal Secondary Education (USE) programme, while 235,245 that is 77.3% are Non-USE, 51 are inmates in Luzira Upper prison, and 519 are special Needs Education candidates (SNE), and access arrangements have been made for these SNE leaners to receive the necessary support in accordance with their needs.
Addressing the Media at Uganda Media Center Kampala, the executive director of Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) Dan Odongo noted that the examination will commence tomorrow Friday 14th with the briefing and thereafter, candidates will start writing their examination officially on Monday October 17th.
Odongo has encouraged parents to address the issue of school fees balances with the heads of schools early enough to avoid the scenario where candidates are inconvenienced by the school heads on account of non-payment of the fees. He has also requested heads of centers to avoid the act of pulling candidates out of examination rooms in the course of the examination due to fees issues.
”The board will work with schools to put in place measures to assist them recover their fees even after the examination has done by a defaulting candidate” Odongo said
Odongo further strongly warned against involvement in any form of examination malpractice saying anyone found culpable will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the UNEB Act 2021, which will be in force effective this year onwards; and the penalties are quite stiff.
Section 25(1) of the UNEB act 2021 provides that any person who gains or attempts to gain possession of any examination paper, or any part of exanimation paper, examination material, or any other material or information which purports to relate to the contents of an examination paper, commits an offense and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding two thousand currency points (Shs 40,000,000/=) or a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or both.
UNEB’s boss Dan Odongo also warned candidates against indiscipline saying being a candidate does not absolve anybody from following school regulations.
“UNEB will neither be involved nor sympathize with any candidate in a case where such a candidate is subjected to disciplinary measures by the school on account of indiscipline”, Odong added.
In the same vein, Odongo has appealed to all heads of examination centers to ensure that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provided by the ministry of health for the control of COVID 19 and Ebola are adhered to.
“Everyone accessing the school premises should have their temperature measured, wear a mask and wash their hands with clean water and soap”, Odongo added.
