UNEB must ensure clean exams
Oct 14, 2007
THE school examination season has started with the Senior Four candidates sitting their first paper today. In a fortnight, the Primary Seven candidates will sit their Primary Leaving Examinations while the Advanced Level examination is scheduled to start November 12, 2007.
THE school examination season has started with the Senior Four candidates sitting their first paper today. In a fortnight, the Primary Seven candidates will sit their Primary Leaving Examinations while the Advanced Level examination is scheduled to start November 12, 2007.
A total of 194,911 students will sit ‘O’ Level examination, while 86,630 will sit ‘A’ Level examinations and 444,020 for PLE.
True, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has tried to put in place measures to ensure the credibility of the examinations. But still examinations malpractices have continued to mar particularly the ‘0’ and ‘A’ Level examinations. Last year, the results of over 2,000 ‘0’ and ‘A’ Level candidates were cancelled and the centre numbers were withdrawn from ten schools because of malpractices.
Malpractices erode the credibility of the examinations and academic certificates. In the long run, examination malpractices would adversely affect the national standard of education and quality of the manpower. Uganda’s education system has hitherto been the envy of the neighbouring countries. This is why hundreds of students from Kenya and Tanzania have over the years been enrolling in Uganda’s secondary schools and universities.
Therefore, UNEB must take water-tight measures to stamp out examination malpractice. There have been accusations that some Board officials have been involved in corruptly leaking the examinations. The Board’s leadership must ensure all internal loopholes are tightly plugged.
Additionally, the Board must act decisively against any teacher, head-teacher, or school found to be engaged in the malpractice. The ministry of education should put in place a strict code of conduct for teachers whereby involvement or facilitating examination cheating is considered to be a gross professional misconduct for which the culprit is banned from the profession.
This year, UNEB faces an even bigger challenge examining the candidates in areas in the eastern and northern Uganda, which have been devastated by the floods resulting from torrential rains. It is important that the candidates in these flood hit areas do not miss the examinations. Presumably, UNEB will have to get assistance from other state agencies to transport the examinations. The Board needs to carry out proper planning to ensure that the examinations are not compromised.
A total of 194,911 students will sit ‘O’ Level examination, while 86,630 will sit ‘A’ Level examinations and 444,020 for PLE.
True, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has tried to put in place measures to ensure the credibility of the examinations. But still examinations malpractices have continued to mar particularly the ‘0’ and ‘A’ Level examinations. Last year, the results of over 2,000 ‘0’ and ‘A’ Level candidates were cancelled and the centre numbers were withdrawn from ten schools because of malpractices.
Malpractices erode the credibility of the examinations and academic certificates. In the long run, examination malpractices would adversely affect the national standard of education and quality of the manpower. Uganda’s education system has hitherto been the envy of the neighbouring countries. This is why hundreds of students from Kenya and Tanzania have over the years been enrolling in Uganda’s secondary schools and universities.
Therefore, UNEB must take water-tight measures to stamp out examination malpractice. There have been accusations that some Board officials have been involved in corruptly leaking the examinations. The Board’s leadership must ensure all internal loopholes are tightly plugged.
Additionally, the Board must act decisively against any teacher, head-teacher, or school found to be engaged in the malpractice. The ministry of education should put in place a strict code of conduct for teachers whereby involvement or facilitating examination cheating is considered to be a gross professional misconduct for which the culprit is banned from the profession.
This year, UNEB faces an even bigger challenge examining the candidates in areas in the eastern and northern Uganda, which have been devastated by the floods resulting from torrential rains. It is important that the candidates in these flood hit areas do not miss the examinations. Presumably, UNEB will have to get assistance from other state agencies to transport the examinations. The Board needs to carry out proper planning to ensure that the examinations are not compromised.