Uneb should get to core of exams leaks

Reports of more details emerging about Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) exams leaks during the printing of exams papers are worrying. But more worrisome is the offhand dismissal by Uneb executive secretary Dan Odongo of these grave claims as bogus.
Here is why Uneb chief executive and accounting officer should readily receive such tip-offs, pay attention to them, sieve and determine course of action.
First, Uneb’s professes to stand for “a recognized centre of globally competitive educational assessment and certification.” This means Uneb should be synonymous with conducting and managing reputable national examinations and assessment on candidates’ competence. Second, any claim of impropriety at Uneb is devastating as it stabs Uneb to the core and risks eroding the integrity of our national exams and assessments.
Third, a questionable administration of these exams exposes to suspicion the calibre of candidates we qualify at the key levels of our exams and assessments during Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams, and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams.
In the end, Uneb exams determine our candidates’ failure or progression and the quality of our graduates.
The above reasons are precisely why the pointers raised by whistleblowers should not be dismissed lightly by Uneb and its governors. Rather, Uneb should thoroughly examine the pointers and instituted rigorous measures to frustrate or stamp out such faults to ensure Uneb maintains confidentiality in its operations and put out quality job.
Luckily for Uneb, channels of these leaks seem not deeply structured, but externally introduced and involving Uneb fringe contract employees. Of course, this does not rule out the collusion penetrating deeper up the Uneb administrative and governance tiers. These critical but peripheral contracted food suppliers and occasional clergymen who interact with the exams printers, staff who sort, check and package the exams papers can easily be isolated and managed.
One such solution is to institute routine rotation of contracts to avoid familiarity, plus rigorous frisking and checks of movement, and effects of every exams printer staff. This should not spare security staff, supervisors, the clergy, caterers and their wares of trade.
In sum, Uneb should not casually dismiss these grave claims, but give them attention and plug the loopholes cited. This is because no claim of wrongdoing at Uneb can be small, given that Uneb shoulders the integrity and security of our national exams assessment, certification, verification, and equating of results, including for national elections.
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