Invigilators’ failure to show up delays UACE Exams
A student praying as he prepares to write his UACE exams. FILE PHOTO
Several invigilators failed to report to their respective centres by 8am as Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education exams (UACE) kicked off on Monday.
Examination invigilators and supervisors are an integral part of the exams team in every school.
They are deployed in each examination room and have a key role in ensuring that the examinations are conducted according to the UNEB guidelines.
At some centres visited by this reporter- for instance Lake Side College, Luzira, invigilators had not arrived at the school by 9.50 am. At Uphill college in Nakawa Division examinations had to delay up to almost 10am due to late arrival of invigilators.
In Mukono, some invigilators had not picked their appointment letters while others turned up late.
Mr Constantine Mpuuga Ssajjabi, the area supervisor of Mukono Station 003 and also the head teacher Namilyango Collage said this caused a lot of delays.
The UNEB guidelines indicate that if the invigilator is absent, they should be replaced.
Mr Ssajjabi said he had to replace all the invigilators Monday morning. He added that he ensured that the substitutes had reached at their stations.
"We had issues of invigilators disappointing us. They are sent to us by school but some of them get personal challenges and when they inform us in time, we always replace them with reserve invigilators you've seen us deploying this morning," he said.
In Kawempe, the substitute invigilators were also seen stranded at the storage centre after showing up without their identification papers.
The area supervisor, Ms Sarah Mashaba had asked them to avail copies of their National Ids, school Ids and teaching certificates.
“Some of them had not handed in these requirements even though they were told to carry them. We need them to be ready for emergency deployment, nobody can be deployed without them,” Mashaba’s insisted as some lamented that they had forgetten to carry the said documents.
Ms Jennifer Kalule, UNEB spokesperson, said it was against the examination guidelines and rules to deploy an invigilator without fulfilling all the requirements.
Mr Davis Buwembo, an examination scout in Kampala attributed the late arrival of invigilators to the morning rain.
