EXAMINATION RESULTS BY SMS:
Mar 09, 2010
THE short message (SMS) system of getting results from the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has left many teachers, especially those in private schools, sad and blue.
By Chris Kiwawulo
THE short message (SMS) system of getting results from the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has left many teachers, especially those in private schools, sad and blue.
Whereas parents and candidates have welcomed the system as a step towards development and convenience, teachers see it as disadvantageous, especially when it comes to dealing with fees defaulters.
A cross-section of head teachers have complained that students use the system to cheat schools of their money or delay payment.
Head teachers say students who fail exams may see no urge to pay up because they would already have their results, subsequently refusing to pay up. Besides, head teachers fear that students or parents may connive with UNEB officials to get their result slips.
What head teachers say
Mathias Sseruwu, the deputy head teacher of St. Augustine’s College in Wakiso district, says whereas the system is a step towards technological advancement, he does not entirely support it. He argues that many schools allow candidates to sit their final examinations before clearing school fees as long as they have paid the registration fee.
“It is worse with S.6 leavers. If they get to know their results through SMS, they will relax until September when institutions of higher learning admit students. This is when they rush to clear their arrears and pick exam results,†says Sseruwu. Any delay to pay up cripples a school’s operations.
John Kaddu, the deputy head teacher of Kawempe Royal College, Bombo Road, says the SMS system is disadvantageous.
“If someone fails his exams, he could ignore the results and refuse to pay, thus the school makes losses. Besides, initially, parents had to pick their children’s results from school. Nowadays, we get to know the results from parents,†he says.
Not all head teachers are against the system. although they acknowledge the possibility that parents may not pay on time, some say the advantages are immense.
Victor Okello, the head teacher of Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Secondary School in Luzira, says he supports the SMS system. He argues that the system helps head teachers and parents who may be far from UNEB offices know how their students or children performed.
“This can motivate a head teacher to pick the results in time so that students can access them.â€
He says there is no need to worry about parents or students getting result slips from UNEB because the procedure is not easy.
“Getting results from UNEB requires one to get a Police letter first and verification from the school where a student registered for the exams,†Okello explains.
He, however, notes that the SMS system may affect the smooth operation of the schools if students get to know their results and take long to clear their outstanding fees balance.
A city school head teacher says getting results by SMS has saved them the commotion that used to be at the school whenever results were released. The head teacher, who prefers anonymity, says the only shortcoming the system has is the reluctance it creates on parents when they have to clear school fees.
The ministry’s stand
Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire, the education minister, says the ministry advises head teachers to devise means of recovering their money from the parents before examination time so that they do not make losses.
She says school heads should regularly keep in touch with parents so that they can recover their money even after exams.
“The problem is that school heads distance themselves from the parents, which makes it hard for them to trace those who have school fees arrears.â€
“The SMS system has more advantages than disadvantages. School heads should find a way of getting their money back because the world has gone technical. When something changes, you have to think about ways of changing with the times,†Bitamazire advises.
Bitamazire says the system has created a big change in the operations of the ministry and saved them a lot of time and resources.
“The ministry used to get clogged with head teachers coming to pick their schools’ results, but that has been reversed with this system. There was no one at the ministry this time round,†she observes.
On fears that parents or students may connive with UNEB officials and get the result slips, Bitamazire says results are only issued at schools. Results can only be got from UNEB by SMS.
The ministry stopped schools from denying students who had not paid up a chance to sit their final examinations, saying it was unfair.
“About 5% of the schools would stop candidates from doing their exams. Sometimes, a student owed a school only sh20,000.
“It was unfair on students because it would affect their future. Students need their results for further education or employment,†Bitamazire says.
THE short message (SMS) system of getting results from the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has left many teachers, especially those in private schools, sad and blue.
Whereas parents and candidates have welcomed the system as a step towards development and convenience, teachers see it as disadvantageous, especially when it comes to dealing with fees defaulters.
A cross-section of head teachers have complained that students use the system to cheat schools of their money or delay payment.
Head teachers say students who fail exams may see no urge to pay up because they would already have their results, subsequently refusing to pay up. Besides, head teachers fear that students or parents may connive with UNEB officials to get their result slips.
What head teachers say
Mathias Sseruwu, the deputy head teacher of St. Augustine’s College in Wakiso district, says whereas the system is a step towards technological advancement, he does not entirely support it. He argues that many schools allow candidates to sit their final examinations before clearing school fees as long as they have paid the registration fee.
“It is worse with S.6 leavers. If they get to know their results through SMS, they will relax until September when institutions of higher learning admit students. This is when they rush to clear their arrears and pick exam results,†says Sseruwu. Any delay to pay up cripples a school’s operations.
John Kaddu, the deputy head teacher of Kawempe Royal College, Bombo Road, says the SMS system is disadvantageous.
“If someone fails his exams, he could ignore the results and refuse to pay, thus the school makes losses. Besides, initially, parents had to pick their children’s results from school. Nowadays, we get to know the results from parents,†he says.
Not all head teachers are against the system. although they acknowledge the possibility that parents may not pay on time, some say the advantages are immense.
Victor Okello, the head teacher of Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Secondary School in Luzira, says he supports the SMS system. He argues that the system helps head teachers and parents who may be far from UNEB offices know how their students or children performed.
“This can motivate a head teacher to pick the results in time so that students can access them.â€
He says there is no need to worry about parents or students getting result slips from UNEB because the procedure is not easy.
“Getting results from UNEB requires one to get a Police letter first and verification from the school where a student registered for the exams,†Okello explains.
He, however, notes that the SMS system may affect the smooth operation of the schools if students get to know their results and take long to clear their outstanding fees balance.
A city school head teacher says getting results by SMS has saved them the commotion that used to be at the school whenever results were released. The head teacher, who prefers anonymity, says the only shortcoming the system has is the reluctance it creates on parents when they have to clear school fees.
The ministry’s stand
Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire, the education minister, says the ministry advises head teachers to devise means of recovering their money from the parents before examination time so that they do not make losses.
She says school heads should regularly keep in touch with parents so that they can recover their money even after exams.
“The problem is that school heads distance themselves from the parents, which makes it hard for them to trace those who have school fees arrears.â€
“The SMS system has more advantages than disadvantages. School heads should find a way of getting their money back because the world has gone technical. When something changes, you have to think about ways of changing with the times,†Bitamazire advises.
Bitamazire says the system has created a big change in the operations of the ministry and saved them a lot of time and resources.
“The ministry used to get clogged with head teachers coming to pick their schools’ results, but that has been reversed with this system. There was no one at the ministry this time round,†she observes.
On fears that parents or students may connive with UNEB officials and get the result slips, Bitamazire says results are only issued at schools. Results can only be got from UNEB by SMS.
The ministry stopped schools from denying students who had not paid up a chance to sit their final examinations, saying it was unfair.
“About 5% of the schools would stop candidates from doing their exams. Sometimes, a student owed a school only sh20,000.
“It was unfair on students because it would affect their future. Students need their results for further education or employment,†Bitamazire says.