Uneb closes exams marking centre over Ebola

Part of the Ebola isolation facility at Mulago hospital. The disease has killed five people since it broke out in Luweero District recently. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA.

What you need to know:

About 600 examiners were expected to stay at the centre for about three weeks to mark PLE which starts on November 27.

Kampala

The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has closed Ndejje Secondary School examination marking centre following an outbreak of Ebola in the neighbouring Luweero District.

Mr Mathew Bukenya, the Uneb executive secretary, said examiners from Luweero are not expected to participate in this year’s marking exercise at all levels of Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) and Business Technical Vocational Education Training.

About 600 examiners were expected to stay at the centre for about three weeks to mark PLE. The exercise is expected to start on November 27. They have been relocated to Namilyango College. “Because of the outbreak of Ebola, we contacted Ministry of Health and we were advised against hosting a big number of people at Ndejje SS. No examiner should travel to Ndejje SS for this year’s marking exercise,” Mr Bukenya said in a press release on Thursday.

Uneb had earlier planned two venues: Ndejje SS and Namilyango College as centres for marking PLE English paper.

A total of 565,663 candidates sat PLE early this month, 268,782 students for UCE, while 13,919 candidates registered for BTVET exams and 111,581 candidates are expected to sit for UACE.

Ebola is caused by a virus belonging to a family called filovirus. There are five distinct types of the virus namely Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Côte d’Ivoire, Ebola Bundibugyo and Ebola Reston.

The disease is transmitted through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, fluids or bodies of infected persons. The average incubation period is 21 days. Ebola is characterised by sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.

This is often followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for Ebola. The patients are given symptomatic treatment to reduce pain and prevent dehydration.