MPs probe examinations board
Jun 23, 2009
A committee in Parliament has launched an investigation into the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) over reports of financial malpractice.
By Madinah Tebajjukira
A committee in Parliament has launched an investigation into the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) over reports of financial malpractice.
The probe, to be conducted by the parliamentary CIDs as well as officers in the legal and research departments, will also ascertain claims of nepotism and fraud. In addition, it has to look into allegations of flouting procurement laws and conflict of interest allegedly practised by the top management.
The move by Reagan Okumu (FDC), the chairman of the committee on commissions, statutory and state enterprises, follows a letter by ‘concerned UNEB staff’ raising a number of complaints.
It was unclear why the letter was sent to Okumu of the statutory committee, and not to the social services committee that oversees the education sector.
“It has been for some years that some of us in UNEB are not satisfied and completely disgusted by the way the affairs of the board are being run, especially on alteration of examination results and lack of transparency,†reads the anonymous letter titled ‘A brief on state of affairs in the Uganda National Examinations Board’.
The recent increase in examination fees was meant to cover some of the deficits the examination board was facing, the letter claims. In March, UNEB increased examination fees by between sh15,000 and sh20,000 for each candidate. Senior Four candidates are paying sh63,000, while Advanced Level candidates pay sh66,500, up from sh50,000 and 54,000 respectively.
The letter alleges that some staff in the accounts department had amassed unexplained wealth.
It was also alleged that the vehicles used to distribute examinations belonged to staff members close to some bosses and were hired at exorbitant rates.
“Fuel is dished out generously even for personal purposes. Interestingly in their accountability, diesel cars use petrol,†the letter adds. It also alleges that some bosses recruit their relatives, even when they do not qualify for the jobs, and bought UNEB houses at lower rates than the market prices without a tendering process.
Speaking to The New Vision yesterday, Okumu said he had received other complaints related to the management of national examinations. He met the officers who will carry out the probe yesterday and warned them against targeting individuals.
Efforts to get comments from UNEB boss Matthew Bukenya or spokesperson Eva Konde yesterday were fruitless.
A committee in Parliament has launched an investigation into the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) over reports of financial malpractice.
The probe, to be conducted by the parliamentary CIDs as well as officers in the legal and research departments, will also ascertain claims of nepotism and fraud. In addition, it has to look into allegations of flouting procurement laws and conflict of interest allegedly practised by the top management.
The move by Reagan Okumu (FDC), the chairman of the committee on commissions, statutory and state enterprises, follows a letter by ‘concerned UNEB staff’ raising a number of complaints.
It was unclear why the letter was sent to Okumu of the statutory committee, and not to the social services committee that oversees the education sector.
“It has been for some years that some of us in UNEB are not satisfied and completely disgusted by the way the affairs of the board are being run, especially on alteration of examination results and lack of transparency,†reads the anonymous letter titled ‘A brief on state of affairs in the Uganda National Examinations Board’.
The recent increase in examination fees was meant to cover some of the deficits the examination board was facing, the letter claims. In March, UNEB increased examination fees by between sh15,000 and sh20,000 for each candidate. Senior Four candidates are paying sh63,000, while Advanced Level candidates pay sh66,500, up from sh50,000 and 54,000 respectively.
The letter alleges that some staff in the accounts department had amassed unexplained wealth.
It was also alleged that the vehicles used to distribute examinations belonged to staff members close to some bosses and were hired at exorbitant rates.
“Fuel is dished out generously even for personal purposes. Interestingly in their accountability, diesel cars use petrol,†the letter adds. It also alleges that some bosses recruit their relatives, even when they do not qualify for the jobs, and bought UNEB houses at lower rates than the market prices without a tendering process.
Speaking to The New Vision yesterday, Okumu said he had received other complaints related to the management of national examinations. He met the officers who will carry out the probe yesterday and warned them against targeting individuals.
Efforts to get comments from UNEB boss Matthew Bukenya or spokesperson Eva Konde yesterday were fruitless.