Exams leakage: How scout connived with supervisor

New investigations into the leaking of Uganda National Examinations show that there was a connivance of a Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) scout, a headteacher and area supervisor in eastern Uganda, to commit the malpractice.

Sources privy to the investigations reveal that the three, who were arrested and later released on bond, connived with Police, shared the keys to the store and leaked the examinations.

The new revelation, confirms UNEB's earlier statement, in a press conference that the epicenter of the country's leakage of exams was in Iganga.

The other epicenters of the leakage, which are still being investigated, are reported to be in Hoima, and Mbarara.

Close to 21 teachers and a UNEB scout were arrested in connection to the leakage. "A number of the people were arrested, were used as witnesses, to get to the core of the investigations," reveals the source.

The headteacher, who was also an area supervisor, is said, to have connived with another headteacher of a private school to photocopy and distribute the examinations to schools.

It is alleged that a UNEB scout passed on his second key which was used by the supervisor to open the second padlock on the store. The second padlock's keys are always kept by the area supervisor.

"The officers at the Police post, connived with the scout and area supervisor, to leak the exams," a source added.

The UNEB scout, according to the recorded statement, by the culprits, was paid sh1m, to hand over his key.

"All the culprits are out on bond, as we continue with the investigations," revealed the source.

The arrests followed a leakage of four examination papers, which were to be done on by Senior Four candidates. The examination papers were being shared on the social media, before students could sit for them.

All the arrested teachers, Police and UNEB sources reveal, are all from private schools.

"Investigations are still ongoing and we will make sure we get to whoever is connected to the examinations leakage," UNEB executive secretary Daniel Odong explains.

The investigations are being conducted by UNEB and all other security agencies.  Uganda Communications Commission is also part of the team, tracking authors of the leaked examinations.

Leaking examination is one form of cheating that undermines the credibility of examinations, posing serious threats to the quality of the education system and the attainment of its selective goals.