Buvuma S4 candidates battle hunger, rough lake journeys to sit exams
Many candidates walked long distances or rode bicycles to their examination centres. Headteachers also braved the early morning rain to collect examination papers from Buvuma Police Station, where police and army personnel guarded them.
Students arrive at Buvuma College on bicycles to sit their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations. (Credit: Henry Nsubuga)
__________________ Robinah Nakakande, headteacher of Buvuma College, addresses candidates ahead of their examinations. (Photo by Henry Nsubuga)
Senior Four candidates in Buvuma District began writing their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams on Monday (October 12) amid challenges ranging from unpaid boarding fees, lack of food to rough lake journeys to examination centres.
The difficulties were particularly evident at Bwema Seed School, where headteacher Mark Musobozi had to transport examination papers by motorcycle to a landing site before boarding a boat to Bwema Island, where the school is located.
Musobozi said an early morning downpour had triggered strong waves on the lake, delaying his journey. At about 8:40am as he left Buvuma Police station back to his school, Musobozi told New Vision that he expected to reach the island at around 9:30am, although the Mathematics examination was scheduled to begin at 9:00am.
The incident highlighted the logistical challenges of administering national examinations in the island district, where schools and learners are separated by stretches of water and transport largely depends on boats.
Four secondary schools hosted candidates for the UCE examinations. They include three government institutions; Buvuma College, Nairambi Seed School and Bwema Seed School and one privately owned school. Buvuma College registered 77 candidates, while Nairambi Seed School had 105 students.
Many candidates walked long distances or rode bicycles to their examination centres. Headteachers also braved the early morning rain to collect examination papers from Buvuma Police Station, where police and army personnel guarded them.
Robinah Nakakande, the headteacher of Buvuma College and the district Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) examinations coordinator, said some candidates had left boarding facilities close to the start of the examination after their parents failed to pay the required fees agreed upon during their Parents and Teachers’ Association (PTA) meeting.
She attributed the situation partly to the ongoing campaign by local government minister Balaam Barugahara, who is urging parents not to pay school fees in government schools. Nakakande said some parents had also stopped paying lunch fees, leaving schools struggling to provide meals and accommodation.
According to Nakakande, the policy was particularly challenging in Buvuma, which comprises 52 islands, because many learners live far from school and have to travel to and from school daily.
“Some parents have resorted to renting rooms for their children in camps near schools, raising concerns about their safety and welfare. If keeping these students in boarding schools is already a challenge for us, how can they manage to live on their own in rented rooms in camps?” she wondered.
Nakakande warned that inadequate feeding could affect candidates’ health and concentration during examinations.
“Last week we had a student who blacked out at school, and upon reaching Buvuma Health Centre IV, the medical officer told us it was as a result of ulcers, which is linked to keeping on an empty stomach for long hours,” she said, adding; “Now during the examination period, we do not know what those students who are not on the school feeding programme are going to eat.”
Despite the challenges, Nakakande said teachers had done their best to prepare candidates and ensure that examinations proceed smoothly.
Faridah Namusisi, the headteacher of Nairambi Seed School, said all candidates registered at her school had reported for the examinations, an improvement from previous years when some failed to turn up.
She noted that in previous years, some candidates had to travel to the mainland to sit their final examinations.
Gaps in learning facilities
Some candidates said they had prepared for the examinations despite limited access to computers and an inadequate number of teachers.
They also expressed concern about unpaid boarding fees, noting that learners from distant islands could not manage daily journeys to school, especially when they had to cross the lake.
The candidates said boarding facilities were essential because they provided accommodation and allowed learners more time to revise, particularly for those living far from their schools.
Buvuma District Education Officer Hussein Bugembe said the district’s scattered islands posed significant challenges for learners to access secondary education, with some students travelling long distances by boat to reach school.
He said the geographical barriers were compounded by other difficulties, including limited access to learning materials, inadequate feeding, accommodation challenges and reduced time for revision.
Despite the obstacles, school administrators said they were working hard to ensure that candidates completed their examinations successfully.