Over 300,000 candidates to sit for O'level exams

Oct 12, 2014

A total of 310,210 candidates are expected to sit for the Uganda certificate of Education (UCE) exams that start on Monday


By Taddeo Bwambale    
        
A total of 310,210 candidates are expected to sit for the Uganda certificate of Education (UCE) exams that start on Monday.

This shows an increase by 14,716 in the number of candidates sitting for O’level exams this year, compared to last year when 295,494 students that sat for the exams.

The candidates will start with Geography Paper One in the morning, according to an advisory issued by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) on Saturday.

Briefing of Senior Four candidates to prepare them for examinations was held at all the UNEB-accredited centres on Friday. 

UNEB executive secretary, Mathew Bukenya, at a press briefing on Saturday warned students, parents and teachers against engaging in examinations-related malpractices.

“Parents should desist from engaging in activities that undermine the smooth conduct of exams such as bribing field officers or paying for fake question papers,” Bukenya warned.

“Our wish is not to cancel results of any candidate if they follow the regulations. Very firm action will be taken against any person who will not heed this warning,” he stated.

He said UNEB had deployed scouts and was working with Police and security agencies to prevent examinations-related malpractices.

As a new measure to prevent cheating, UNEB sill issue random numbers to examination centres, to be used by candidates instead of the usual centre numbers.

The system ensures that examiners do not identify the scripts that they are marking, making the process transparent
“We have been piloting the system but it is being used in Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. I have been to Zambia and the system is working well there,” Bukenya said.

The number of examination centres has increased from 2,889 spread countrywide last year to a total of 3,020 this year.

Meanwhile, the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Exams (UACE) -- also known as A'level -- exams will kick off later on November 10, starting with Economics paper One. 
 

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