Bundibugyo education officials summoned over withheld PLE results

BUNDIBUGYO/KABAROLE:
Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) has summoned Bundibugyo District education officials over withheld 2018 PLE results for 12 schools in the district.
The exam results were held by UNEB on Thursday over suspected examination malpractice.

The acting District Education Officer (DEO), Mr Justus Bitagalire told Daily Monitor that results for 187 candidates were withheld. At least 4,334 candidates sat for PLE exams in the district last year.

The affected primary schools include; Bundibugyo primary school, Buhanda, Hakitengya, Bundibugyo Junior Bundikahungu, Kalera, Kihoko, Njuule, Bundimuliga, Kirumya, Izahura and Bupomboli.

“We told teachers, head teachers, UNEB scouts, supervisors and pupils that examination malpractice is totally prohibited but it’s like they didn’t heed our advice. We have received letters calling for the CAO, DEO, and head teachers of the affected schools to report to UNEB next week”, Mr Bitagalire said.

Bitagalire added that; “If it becomes true that those head teachers and teachers were involved in malpractices, we shall reprimand them and they risk losing their jobs.”
While releasing the results in Kampala on Thursday, Mr Daniel Odongo, the Uneb executive secretary said that security operatives who were selected from police, the army, among other agencies found teachers in some schools like Bundimulinga Primary School, Bubanda Primary School, Bundikahungu Primary School, Clever Origin Primary School in Bundibugyo District allegedly writing answers on the chalkboards for candidates to copy.

He added that some parents and guardians in the affected schools paid Shs 50, 000 each to facilitate the malpractice. Dr Odong said the cases await court action.

However, the Chief administrative officer, Mr Franco Olaboro told Daily Monitor that he was very surprised to hear from UNEB that some teachers were even caught red-handed cheating exams.

“I am wondering how it happened. I was on ground monitoring exams throughout but I didn’t receive any such information. If it was red-handed then that case would have been reported at police but I’m trying to get clear information of what went wrong. We shall follow-up and get guidance from UNEB,” Mr Olaboro said.

Mr Twinomujuni Baluku, the head teacher Green cycle school, one of the affected schools dismissed claims of malpractices but promised to follow-up the matter.
One of the concerned parents Mr Japhali Mbusa said that the district education department needs to be overhauled.
“The epicenter of the problem is in the district education department. The officials are very lazy on issues of monitoring and supervision. Their minds are always on money but not service delivery,” Mr Mbusa said.

In 2017, PLE results for 1,401 candidates in Bundibugyo district were also withheld by UNEB due to non-payment of UNEB registration fees. The affected schools were both UPE and non UPE candidates.
The District education officer by that time, Mr Peter Bamwiterebye said some head teachers had swindled funds for registration.

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