Ban on boda boda slows Senior four exams

Following the early morning mess during which some students found themselves trekking 10 kilometres, and invigilators sent to resident district commissioners for special permits to authorise them use boda bodas, the government promised a possible review of the measure.

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“It did not occur to us that some of the learners where coming from far. But since this has come to our attention, we are going to meet again as a government and forge a way forward,” said Information Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi.

Earlier in the day, Education minister Janet Museveni tweeted her best wishes to Senior Four candidates who need the UCE examination results to transition to A-Level or pursue certificate and diploma course.

“We believe in our students, all of you, and we know God will grant you success. We are also praying for the P7 and S6 candidates as they prepare for their exams next month,” she noted.

However, the start of the papers turned a heart-break for some families. Three schools reported that three of their female candidates were a no-show either because they conceived, were married off or hooked job in the Middle East and elsewhere. 

One boy, who received a new school identity card last Friday, appeared without the document and his school sent away, another took up employment in Kampala while a third headed northwards, scouting for a job in South Sudan.

Overall, supervisors said the exams started up to half-an-hour late in various parts of the country, but police and invigilators recorded no cases of malpractice, impersonation or other irregularities as 349,000 students began writing their final papers. 

The Uneb spokesperson, Ms Jennifer Kalule, said yesterday in Kampala that they had deployed 1,595 security officers, 1,611 scouts and 22,214 supervisors and invigilators to ensure smooth running of the exams bedeviled in the past by cheating.

But the cries of parents and guardians as well as teachers and invigilators affected by public transport ban grew louder with yesterday’s experience.

Mr Joseph Kiwanuka, a parent in Kirwanyi Village in Mubende District, said his daughter (names withheld) at Global Secondary School always travelled the 9-kilometre distance to school by boda boda. “We borrowed a bicycle from our neighbour, but our child could not ride it. We had to beg a boda boda cyclist to pass through porous roads to reach the school safely without [the motorcycle] being impounded,” he said.

Mr Robert Ssewanyana, the head teacher, said most of his students trekked to school yesterday after Ebola prevention measures meant commuter taxis and boda bodas they used were nowhere.

As a result of the late arrivals, students there began taking exams 15 minutes late, he said.

Similarly, several candidates at Kasenyi Secondary School in Mubende Municipality also arrived late for the exams.

The reporter who visited the schools said exams at this school equally started 15 minutes late. In Tororo District, the examination supervisor, Ms Beatrice Lumonya, said some invigilators delayed to arrive while others were a no-show, prompting emergency drafting of some teachers to fill the gap. This caused start of exams to delay by up to half-an-hour.

Most schools reported that many of the candidates were fees defaulters, but Mr Sam Wotakyala, the general secretary Busoga Sub-region Secondary Schools’ Head teachers Association, said they allowed them to sit the papers.

“We need to feed these candidates well as they do their exams, but they have not fully paid their fees yet materials for practicals and food is very expensive,” he said.

In Lwengo, Resident District Commissioner Robert Kambugu had to persuade Mr Noordin Mbalire, the head teacher of BK SS, to allow Shaurati Nakato take the exams after she was blocked over Shs300,000 fees balance.

Mr Mustapha Nanfumba, the head teacher of Mpigi Mixed SS, said they borrowed money to buy specimens and other materials for practical papers.

Uneb rules require that students duly registered for the final year exams take the papers, according to spokesperson Kalule.

In Gulu City, officials at St Joseph College Layibi, Sacred Heart Girls SS, Gulu Central High School, Sir Samuel Baker, Gulu Army SS and Gulu SS said the City Education Office had instructed them to block journalists from accessing the institutions and report on start of UCE exams. 

In Jinja District, St Joseph SS Nakanyonyi head teacher Moses Kisubi said some of their candidates had taken jobs in the Middle East and were unavailable for exams.

In Mpigi District, a combination of bad roads and lack of official transport prompted boda bodas to be hired to deliver UCE exams papers, said Ms Teddy Nasiiwa, the Uneb area supervisor.

The start of exams delayed for about 15 minutes in most Wakiso schools

The Masaka District inspector of schools, Mr Gerald Nsambu, said they registered no cases of malpractice and impersonation and examination materials were delivered on time.

In Mukono District, Uneb area supervisor Constantine Mpuuga said they had made provisions for physically-impaired students to compete favourably.

City High School, Kololo SS, Mengo SS, Nakasero SS, Bugisu High School and Kyambogo College confirmed the exams started on time.

In Buliisa District, one of the female candidates got married and was a no-show while another boy lost his identity card handed out last Friday, according to Mr Ronald Kaliisa, the Uneb supervisor for Upper Buliisa, 

Mr Haruna Mulopa, Jinja City’s acting principal education officer, and Mr Hassan Nkuutu, the principal education officer for Njeru Municipality in Buikwe District, said the first day of the exams went without incident.

In Masindi, Advanced Citizens’ High School candidates wore masks to prevent Ebola spread while the district education officer, Mr Adolf Kato, and Mr Timothy Mwesigwa, the exams supervisor for Bwijanga Sub-county, reported a seamless start to exams.

Mr Aloysius Katureebe, a teacher at Crown High School, said one of their female candidates conceived and declined to return to school, while a male candidate headed northwards to hunt for jobs in South Sudan.

At Nyakasura School in Fort Portal City, the head teacher, the Rev Richardson Balinda, said all the 222 candidates turned up for exams, including 59 candidates who are coming from home after being suspended for their alleged involvement in planning a strike.

Western region

In Mbarara, the district education officer, Mr Gabriel Ahimbisibwe, intervened to have two students of St Charles Akasanda Secondary School earlier blocked over fees arrears to take the papers.

The Rwizi region police spokesperson, Mr Samson Kasasira, said they registered no incident.

In Kabale District, Uneb area supervisor Amos Ahimbisibwe said all papers were delivered on time and no irregularity recorded. The exams started nearly 30 minutes late at St Francis College, deputy head teacher Theodore Byamukama said.

In Rukiga and Kanungu districts, some candidates failed to turn up for exams, with one reported married and another moved by relatives to work in Kampala.

At Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Secondary School in Kampala, majority candidates, among them Jeneth Acan, said the exam was fair as they had prepared for it.

Compiled by Damali Mukhaye, Philip Wafula, Dan Wandera, Abubaker Kirunda, Tausi Nakato, Stephen Otage, Piscilla Maloba, Denis Edema, Joseph Omollo, Phoebe Masongole, Olivier Mukaaya, Fred Wambedde, Felix Ainebyoona, Rajab Mukombozi, Julius Byamukama, Alex Ashaba, Ismail Bategeka, Andrew Mugati, Robert Muhereza, Emmanuel Arinaitwe, Leonard Mbishinzimana, , FelixWarom, Marko Taibot, Rashul Adidi, Robert Atiku, Tobbias Owiny,  Polycap Kalokwera, Lydia Felly Akullu, Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Brian Kesiime, Diphas Kiguli, Gertrude Mutyaba, Jessica Nabukenya , Joseph Kiggundu, Malik Jjingo, Frank Baguma, Karim Muyobo & Naume Biira.