Denying candidates UACE exams is 'murder' – Ministry official

Mr George Mutekanga, the assistant commissioner in-charge of private schools in the Ministry of Education [right] speaking to some of the affected students on November 12, 2019. PHOTO BY YAZID YOLISIGIRA

What you need to know:

  • On Tuesday, officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports led by Mr George Mutekanga, the assistant commissioner in-charge of private schools, stormed the school to have the affected students sit for their exams.
  • The Iganga Resident District Commissioner [RDC], Ms Eva Kwesiga, said all the students have been allowed to sit for their exams and a number of well-wishers have started contributing the Shs3.6 million that is owed to the school.

The Ministry of Education and Sports has vowed to punish a school that barred students from sitting for their Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations over uncleared fees balances.
On Monday, 15 students of Top Care Secondary School in Iganga municipality were barred by the administration from sitting for the History Paper 3 examination; while another from King of Kings Secondary School, also in Iganga, suffered a similar fate.
However, the administration of the two schools bowed to pressure from the public and district officials, and allowed the students to sit for the subsequent examinations.

When Daily Monitor published the story across its platforms, many people, both in Uganda and abroad, condemned the act.

READ:

Tears as 16 students miss UACE over Shs50,000 fees balances

Senior Six candidates across the country started this year’s UACE examinations on Monday morning with History


On Tuesday, officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports led by Mr George Mutekanga, the assistant commissioner in-charge of private schools, stormed the school to have the affected students sit for their exams.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr Mutekanga noted that even the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni who doubles as the First Lady, was touched by the story.
“We condemn the blocking of students from sitting for their examinations and as the line ministry, we are going to take disciplinary actions against the officials of the school,” Mr Mutekanga said.

Adding: “What the school administrators did was equivalent to committing murder because they were trying to kill the future of these children and we condemn it in the strongest terms.”
The Iganga Resident District Commissioner [RDC], Ms Eva Kwesiga, said all the students have been allowed to sit for their exams and a number of well-wishers have started contributing the Shs3.6 million that is owed to the school.
According to Ms Kwesiga, the Indian Association of Uganda contributed Shs 800,000 to help and clear fees balances for the students.
The students have, however, requested Uganda National Examinations Board [UNEB] to give them supplementary exams for the paper they missed.