UCE exams kick-off

NATIONAL EXAMS    UCE

Different schools in the country on Monday kicked off with the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams.  

The candidates started off with a physics paper (practical) in the morning where students were to do the exam in shifts since not all students could be accommodated in the laboratories as revealed by some administrators.

The first groups were checked by the invigilators before heading to the laboratory where the exam was to take place.

The Deputy Head Teacher of Kitante Hill School, Elizabeth Onen said that they were sitting 246 candidates this year who she believes are adequately prepared.

"We have a total number of 246 candidates who we have prepared enough and so we shall not have any issues; be it malpractice or students failing to answer their papers," Onen said.

Onen added that different and standard equipment such as lights, ammeters, voltmeters, switches, wires, cells, electricity among others were put in place early enough to avoid any scarcities for the two shifts.

Edward kanoonya, a headteacher at Kololo Senior Secondary School said  UCE exams have not been a surprise to them as a school.

"We knew at the start of the year that in early October students would sit for their UCE examinations; we have a total number of 697 candidates. Our students will do the practical in shifts because they cannot do at once," Kanoonya said.

Kanoonya noted that they had maximised weekly assessment tests to ensure a high level of preparedness of their students for the UCE examinations.

The City High School headteacher, Thomas Seruwagi said that the teachers had ensured thorough syllabus coverage as a trick for the preparation of the students.

"Usually when teachers fail to complete the syllabus in time, they tend to exert a lot of pressure on the students; this affects their level of concentration since their minds and brain are overworked," Seruwagi commented.

Our students are confident and we are too because apart from syllabus coverage, they have done revision, discussions, and private reading, said Seruwagi.

One of the invigilators who could not reveal his identity said that the students had been organised in shifts according to their index numbers.

"We believe that with the help of shifts, we shall be able to finish all the students without any trouble; those that have Fine Art Still life/ Nature in the afternoon will go first and the rest can follow," she said.

Doreen Ainembabazi from Kitante Hill School said she was excited and happy that she was finally doing her first paper even if it is in the second shift.

"I am so happy because, despite school fees challenges and peer influence, I am able to sit for my first paper which is physics practical; I believe I will pass it," said Ainembabazi.

She added that the school had done its best in preparing them; "now is the time for us to pay back".

Edrine Ssekandi also a student at Kitante Hill, said he felt nervous because the first papers tend to scare students.

"I feel so nervous about the first paper because I haven't felt a test of the other papers. Mocks discouraged me and I wouldn't want it to be the same for UNEB," said Ssekandi.

UCE exams will run till November 15 with some candidates having their final papers on that day.