UNEB warns schools against extra exam fees

 

Schools across the country are taking advantage of Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) fees to squeeze an extra buck from parents. 

 

Some schools are asking for double the UNEB exam fees. The UNEB exam fees are sh14,000 for Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), sh80,000 for Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and sh80,500 for Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).

 

A private UCE candidate is charged an extra sh12,000 while a UACE candidate pays an extra 14,500.

But Gulu College School is charging UACE candidates sh143,000. Jeresar High School, Soroti is asking for sh110,000 for UCE candidates, Kayunga Classic School sh50,000 (PLE), Kyengera Parents School sh60,000 (PLE).

 

A parent at Seroma Christian High School, Mukono, said his son was charged sh120,000 for UACE. Kings Way High School, Kitende is charging UCE candidates sh120,000. Most Government-aided schools are, however, charging the required UNEB fees or just slightly higher.

 

UNEB Secretary Matthew Bukenya is furious that schools are using the exam body to extort money from parents.

“What they are doing is embezzlement. For example, if you ask for sh150,000 from a parent and you bring to UNEB only sh80,000, where are you taking the sh70,000?” he asked.

 

“We give them powers to conduct exams on our behalf so they must abide by our rules. If we get evidence that any school is overcharging parents, we are going to withdraw their centre number,” he warned.

 

Bukenya said any parent who feels they have been overcharged should report the matter to the Police.

“If they want to charge extra money they should call parents or PTA meetings to discuss how much a parent is comfortable paying. We do not want them to peg that money to UNEB fees,” he said.

 

However, some head teachers claim the extra money is intended to meet the administrative costs of the registration exercise.

Ayub Kiwanuka of Nakaloke Islamic Secondary School in Mbale admits he charges between sh20,000 and sh40,000 to support the transportation of the examination registration forms to and from the school.

 

“The money also caters for bank charges and passport photos,” he said.

Grace Mukasa of Mivule Primary School in Mutungo, Kampala says the extra charges are used to pay UNEB and buy trial examination papers for the candidates and other expenses incurred in the processing of the exams.

 

Additional reporting by G. Ojore, A. Sengendo,

C. Lubangakene

 

 

 

-Gulu Central High School sh105,000 (UCE), sh110,000 (UACE).

 

-Gulu College School sh143,000 (UCE), sh143,000 (UACE).

 

-UNIFAT Primary School, Gulu sh26,000 (PLE).

 

-St. Peters Nalya sh120,000 (UCE).

 

-Soroti Secondary School sh82,000 (UCE) and sh80,500 (UACE).

 

-St. Mary’s Girls, Soroti sh79,000 (UCE).-Gweri Secondary School sh92,000 (UCE).

 

-Teso Boarding Primary School sh45,000 (PLE).

 

-Wanale View Secondary, Mbale sh95,000 (UCE).

 

- Alliance School Mbarara sh107,000 (UCE).

 

-Vine High School sh120,000 (UCE).

 

-Mivule Primary School, Mutungo sh40,000 (PLE).

 

-Kings way High School Kitende sh120,000 (UCE).

 

-Kyengera Parents School sh60,000 (PLE).

 

-Kayunga Classic School sh50,000 (PLE).

 

-Seroma Christian High School sh120,000 (UACE).