PLE: UNEB explains exam delays on day one

PIC:  Aside from a few areas, delivery of exam materials for PLE was on time. Pictured are Buganda Road Primary School candidates sitting a PLE exam on Wednesday. (Credit: Mary Kansiime)

Although most schools received their question papers on time on day one of the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), some centres received their papers an hour or 30 minutes late.

Exam body UNEB has explained that delays in delivery of exam materials in Wakiso and Kampala were due to heavy traffic. They also attributed the delay in Kagadi to change of routes.

The affected schools included; Uganda Spastics School in Mengo, Community Primary School (PS) Kalerwe, Busega PS, Conbert Modern PS Wakiso and Wange PS in Kagadi.

UNEB executive secretary Dan Odongo said delays in Kampala and Wakiso were as a result of traffic on the routes that were used to transport exam materials.

"Question papers to Kagadi were given to a vehicle taking another route, so the process of taking them back to the centers in Kagadi caused a delay," he added.

Other delayed deliveries were reported in Mityana, Mubende and Kibaale.

In Kibaale, it was attributed to a heavy down pour which led to impassable roads.

Odongo said they are also investigating a few cases of attempted malpractice, citing a case in Kitebi PS Wakiso and St Augustine Zirobwe Luweero district where they allegedly received question papers which were tampered with.

The UNEB official said other people were arrested in Luwero after being found photocopying fake mathematics question papers Tuesday night.

In Rakai and Kabale districts, several centres were discovered having had the same examination supervisors for the last several years and new ones have been deployed.

Odongo nonetheless said the examination process is running on smoothly throughout the morning for the second day.

Today candidates are doing Science and Social Studies (SST) as their final papers. A total of 640,860 pupils registered to sit this year's PLE.