An estimated 3,000 more nurses have sat this year's national nurses exams with the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), providing security for those sitting in Karamoja.

"The reason for the increase is due to the high number of school registrations, and we have 24 new nursing schools," Hellen Mukakarisa Kataratambi, the Executive secretary, Uganda nurses and midwives examination board said at a presser on Tuesday at Kiwatule after a downpour. 

Kitaratambi said she anticipated more eight schools to come on board and an extra increase in examination centers in the countrywide.

The developments were made  a day after the exams kicked off nationwide. The exams began on December 4th and ended on December 15th, 2023.

The exams which are comprised of both theory and practicals had 54,755 nurse candidates sitting for the exams this December, an increase by 2,929 nurse learners from 51,826 candidates in June , 2023.

So far 126 nursing and midwifery training institutions have presented candidates however only 121 will host the examinations.

Out of the 14 programmes, the highest number of candidates registered for a certificate in nursing at 32,048 candidates followed closely by a certificate in midwifery with 13,576 candidates, diploma in nursing extension at 3,954 and a diploma in midwifery extension at 2,304 candidates.

A total of 2,309 qualified examination stakeholders have been deployed by UNMEB to oversee the examinations who include one overall supervisor, four regional supervisors, 44 monitors, 121 centre coordinators, 121 centre supervisors, 452 invigilators, 1,493 examiners, 23 drivers, 42 police escorts, four logistics and four hotline coordinators.

New methods to curb malpractice

During the exams the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board had not registered any incidents.

Kataratambi who thanked both President Yoweri Museveni and the Minister of education and sports Janet Kataha Museveni in her statement to journalists,  said the board had determined new methods to address malpractice.

"The rules and regulations were intensified to tighten exam leakage because we have cases of students found with small pieces of papers who face the security committee," Kataratambi said.

Ensuring security at Karamoja exam centers

Kataratambi had revealed that UNMEB was working with the UPDF and not the police because they know all the tricks in the highly hostile and conflict riddled sub region of Karamoja.

"The Kaabong area is a bit insecure and we didn't want to risk after there were death reports around that place," Kataratambi said as she further revealed that the purpose of the security is for peace of mind  for the invigilators to supervise and learners do their  exams.

The total number of nursing students that sat exams are, 705 at the government school of Kaabong college of nursing and midwifery under the index number U107.

Presently UNMEB collects non tax revenue at approximately sh10.1b annually from examination fees from entities under its supervision but has utilized approximately sh5.4b to conduct the December exams nationwide.

Few health facilities Vs large number of nurse students

When journalists asked whether the nurses were capable of receiving adequate practical training especially with the few health facilities compared to the high intake ,Kataratambi  emphasized how the recent upgrading of health center IVs to hospitals were providing perfect facilities to enable nurse training and that operations that were at health center IVs are now being taken to health center threes.

"That means there are two more centers for students to practice from," Kataratambi said.

According to Kataratambi, she revealed how majority of hospitals have been enlarged and renovated to enable smooth training of nurses.

With the large numbers , Kataratambi said there are plans to review the curriculum to enable nurses train in shifts.