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Over 150 Uneb examiners quit UCE marking centres in protest of low pay

Daniel Odongo, Uneb executive secretary. PHOTO/FILE

What you need to know:

  • The Board contracted at least 7,000 examiners to mark the UCE scripts for both the new curriculum and the transitional/old curriculum examinations this year. 

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) said Monday that marking of Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) was going on “smoothly” after about 159 examiners stormed out of marking centres protesting low pay.

The Board contracted at least 7,000 examiners to mark the UCE scripts for both the new curriculum and the transitional/old curriculum examinations this year. 

Senior examiners reported on November 30 for coordination with subject officers. The rest of the examiners reported to the 14 marking centres on December 6 for further coordination and preparations for effective marking. 

Actual marking was slated to start on December 13. However, on that day, two groups of examiners for Physics and Agriculture theory papers reportedly declined to start the exercise because they were not satisfied with the payment rate. 
Some of the sources who spoke to this publication said after all the preparations for the marking exercise, the teachers were told they would be paid Shs950 per paper script.
Most of them had expected at least Shs1,500 per script.

“Despite efforts to negotiate with them, and the explanation that management had already considered the dynamics of the new curriculum and made some adjustments in accordance with the available resources, the declined to start marking. While some examiners objected to the adjusted rates, majority accepted and marking started effectively at all the centres,” the board’s executive director, Mr Dan Odongo said.

According to him, about 100 out of over 400 examiners of Physics walked out of the marking centre while 59 quit marking Agriculture. 

“Their departure, however, will not have a major impact on the exercise. Marking is therefore, going on smoothly for all the subjects and papers under the new curriculum as originally planned. The Board is grateful to the over 6,800 examiners who have exhibited the spirit of patriotism and understanding in this national cause of marking the first cohort of candidates for the New Lower Secondary Curriculum (NLSC),” Mr Odongo added in a Monday evening statement. 

A total of 379,620 candidates registered for UCE exams which started on October 11 and ended on November 15 under both the new lower secondary curriculum and transitional exams under the old curriculum. Of these, more than 10,143 candidates undertook the transitional examination under the old curriculum, while 369,477 sat as pioneers of the new curriculum.