The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parents and leaders in Luwero have piled pressure on headteachers after the Uganda National Examination Board withheld results for 57 candidates in the district over suspected involvement in malpractices.
According to Primary Leaving Examinations results for Luwero, at least 1,622 (11.4%) passed in the First Division, 7174 (50.4%) passed in the second division, 2,739 (19.2%) in the third division and 1,476 (10.3%) passed in the fourth division.
About 1,263 pupils were ungraded and 338 (2.3%) didn’t turn to sit the examinations out of 1,4612 candidates that registered for PLE in the district. However, parents and candidates at three schools in the district are crying foul after UNEB withheld their results over alleged involvement in malpractice.
The affected schools are Lutembe UMEA Primary School where the results of 19 out of 61 who sat the Primary Leaving Examinations are withheld. Others are Sunlight Primary School where the results of 16 candidates and 22 candidates of Hamza Primary School were withheld by UNEB.
Aisha Nakamya a parent at Lutembe UMEA Primary school in Katikamu sub-county says that she made three attempts to check her daughter’s results via SMS in vain. Nakamaya adds that at first, she thought it was a technical error only to hear results were withheld over exam malpractices.
Nakamya says that as parents they are not a party to any malpractice and the school headteacher must explain the circumstances under which the results were withheld.
A member of the School Management Committee at Lutembe UMEA who declined to be named said several parents are in pain over the withheld results of their children. He said that they are waiting for an explanation from the headteacher who has yet to appear at the school since they were released last week.
Moses Bukenya the Deputy Headteacher of the Lutembe UMEA Primary School said the school is yet to get official communication from UNEB whereas at Hamza Primary School, the headteacher refused to comment on the matter.
Erastus Kibirango the LCV Chairperson of Luwero District said that the administration was equally concerned over the future of candidates whose results were withheld.
Kibirango said that the district will decide on the fate of the schools after UNEB concludes investigations into the matter and makes recommendations.
According to a letter dated 25th January 2024 signed by Dan Odongo the Executive Director of Uganda National Examination Board addressed to Luwero District Inspector of Schools, the Primary Leaving Examinations of three schools were withheld over their suspected involvement in exam malpractice.
Odongo directed the Inspector of Schools to inform the schools that they will be invited to meet the examination security committee to be given a hearing at a date to be communicated in due course.
On Tuesday, Yusuf Kamulegeya the Luwero District Inspector of Schools met and informed the headteachers of the affected schools about the decision of UNEB.
Last year, the Uganda National Examination Board withheld the results of 55 candidates from Kisazi Primary School and another 77 candidates from Kasana Junior Primary School in Luwero district over alleged examination malpractices.
However, some results were later released after the schools defended themselves.
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