640,860 pupils to sit PLE

Unlike the years gone by, Police and Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) have joined hands to crack down on any form of malpractice during the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).

A total of 640,860 primary seven pupils are to sit this year's examinations on Wednesday and Thursday.

UNEB executive secretary Dan Odongo said exams will take place at 12,391 centres grouped under 8,081 sitting centres countrywide. Out of the total number of candidates, 488,224 are from government aided schools while 152,466 are from private schools.

He was addressing journalists at UNEB offices in Ntinda, Kampala.

Odongo said this time around, more girls registered for PLE than boys, which is good for gender parity.

He said the distribution of examination materials went ahead smoothly through 22 routes, escorted by Police's Field Force Unit to different storage facilities countrywide.

He said they have deployed 114 district monitors and 9,216 scouts; as well as unspecified security personnel to ensure the examination exercise is conducted within the regulations on conduct of examinations.

Odongo warned all schools against teaching at night after the briefing of candidates, saying those found involved will face severe sanctions.

"We all warn schools against acts of malpractice. We are closely monitoring schools where large numbers of results were cancelled in 2015," he noted.

The head of Police National Examination Monitoring Unit, Katungi Bishanga said police is extraordinarily ready to crack down any exam malpractices.

"We have made arrangements to escort all question papers from storage centres to sitting centres and to monitor the exercise to avoid any malpractice," he noted.

He said they have raised the level of monitoring in the listed schools which were cancelled last year and those with intentions.