Malpratices: Uneb withholds results of 460 Kampala candidates

Uganda National Examination Board (Uneb) has withheld results of 460 candidates who sat for the 2018 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) in seven schools in Kampala city.

 The affected schools are; King Fahad Islamic Primary School (177 candidates), Starleans Primary School (23 candidates), Kawempe Mbogo Primary School (43 candidates), Moslem Girls Primary School (45 candidates), Faiha Primary School Mpererwe (38 candidates), Makindye Mother Care Primary School (99 candidates) and Kyagwe Road Primary School (35 candidates). 

This was disclosed by Ms Juliet Namuddu, the director for Education at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), during a meeting with Kampala head teachers at Nakasero Primary School on Thursday.

She said withholding candidates' results is "sad and disheartening" given that UNEB did not withhold results of any Kampala school in 2017 over suspected malpractices. 

Ms Namuddu said the blame lies on teachers and head teachers of schools who fail to prepare candidates to pass exams but to cheat.

"It’s very sad that we can be suspected of exam malpractices. We are the mothers and fathers of these children. We should learn to prepare them how answer questions not how to cheat,” she said.

 During the release of 2018 PLE examination results on Thursday, Uneb executive secretary, Dr Daniel Odongo said results of 3,500 candidates across the country, were withheld.

The students whose results were withheld, according to Dr Odongo, will be called to Uneb Security Committee for questioning.

Ms Namuddu said the performance of Kampala schools slightly improved as the percentage of students who passed in first grade jumped from 7,754 (27%) in 2017 to 8,622 (29.6) in 2018.

Kampala District had 29,439 candidates.