UNEB confirms O-level exams leak, sets hotline for reporting malpractices
Senior four candidates of Trinity College Nabbingo reading their books in preparation for UCE exams recently. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU
What you need to know:
- Some of the papers were shared on social media, mostly by WhatsApp, and sources told the newspaper on condition of anonymity that each leaked paper cost as much as Shs500,000 on the black market.
- Ongoing investigation into the examination malpractice is being led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Tumuhimbise and Assistant Commissioner of Police Godfrey Maate.
KAMPALA. The national examinations body reports that it is investigating and treating as “serious” reports that some students irregularly accessed the examination papers.
Security agencies have arrested some suspects, says Mr Hamis Kaheru, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) spokesman. He offers no details on number and identities of suspects.
The Daily Monitor broke news of the exams leak as a splash in its Thursday edition. The exposé showed that some Senior Four candidates and teachers on Wednesday obtained copies of Chemistry and Christian Religious Education (CRE) papers hours before scheduled examination time.
Some of the papers were shared on social media, mostly by WhatsApp, and sources told the newspaper on condition of anonymity that each leaked paper cost as much as Shs500,000 on the black market.
The national examination papers are printed by UNEB and transported under guard for overnight storage at police stations from where individual schools, in the presence of scouts deployed by the national exam body, collect them. It remains unclear at what point the papers leaked.
In a statement on Thursday, Mr Kaheru notes that: “UNEB received reports of alleged leak of ongoing Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examination. The reports indicate that a few papers may have been seen by some candidates before the official time for opening question paper envelopes at sitting centres.”
It adds: “The Board takes these reports seriously and is working with security agencies to establish the authenticity of the alleged examination papers that reportedly circulated on social media and the source of those papers.”
These hitches notwithstanding, the examinations will continue as scheduled, Mr Kaheru says.
Ongoing investigation into the examination malpractice is being led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Tumuhimbise and Assistant Commissioner of Police Godfrey Maate.
Here are the hotlines that UNEB has provided for anyone with information to report malpractices: Landlines 0414-289 397, 0414-286636 and mobile telephone numbers 0772-471766 and 0772-625154. Investigating police officers can be reached on mobile phone numbers 0772-510120, 0711-374160, 0771-465442, 0772-401396 and 0714-385356.
