S.6 exams kick off smoothly as Mbale students sit in shifts

The Uganda Advanced Certificate of Examinations (UACE) yesterday kicked off smoothly across the country, with Senior Six candidates in Mbale City sitting in shifts due to over population.

Mr Moses Buyela, the head teacher of Mbale Secondary School, said all their 937 registered candidates turned up for the exams.

“This is the highest number of students we have ever registered. We will have about three shifts due to the big population,” he said.

Mr Aggrey Othieno, the deputy head teacher of Mbale High School, said: “This time, the examination papers arrived early, and inspection was done in time, which enabled our candidates to start exams on time,” he said.

There were some isolated cases of delays in arrival of examination papers.

The Mbarara District Education Officer (DEO), Mr Gabriel Ahimbisibwe, said the exercise went on smoothly in his area.

“The weather has been okay; all invigilators, supervisors and distributors are doing their work well,” he said.
Mr Godfrey Birungi, the Mbarara City’s Uneb supervisor, said they had deployed enough manpower to guard against any cases of exam malpractice at all the 34 centres in the city.

“The examinations are going on smoothly without any major hiccups. The papers have been enough and distributed on time. Every stakeholder is performing their mandate very well.”

The Uneb chief scout for Mukono District, Mr Moses Karuhanga, warned invigilators against abandoning their work for food.

Mr Karuhanga said during the previous examinations, some examination officials were offered food and tea when examinations were ongoing contrary to the Uneb guidelines.

At Tororo Girls’ School, the exercise started at 9am.

“I have not received any complaint from any school, meaning that everything is okay and we hope for the best throughout the period,” Ms Beatrice Akware Lumonya, Tororo Uneb area supervisor, said.

The Uneb coordinator for Kabale District, Mr Amos Ahimbisibwe, said all the 24 examination centres in the area were fully managed by scouts and invigilators.

Few delays

However, Mr Sam Mabonga, the head teacher of Bugisu High School in Mbale, said they received examination papers late.

“We received invigilators and students on time but papers delayed reaching our school for unclear reasons,” he told Daily Monitor.

In Kanungu, the exercise started well in all 15 sitting centres across the district.

In Adjumani, at least 132 students are sitting for UACE at Biyaya, St Mary’s Assumpta Girls, Alere, and Beza-Alhaji secondary schools.

The Rev Sr Rebecca Abio, the head teacher of St Mary’s Assumpta Girls, who is also the area examination supervisor, said the logistical arrangement was timely.

The head teacher of Aringa Secondary School in Yumbe District, Mr Ratib Atiku, said they received chemicals for chemistry practicals from Uneb at around 8:30am.

“But with preparations of chemicals and other arrangements in the examination room, the practical kicked off at 9:15am,” he said.

At Soroti Secondary School, the first Economics paper started at 9:12am, while Chemistry started at 9:30am.
Although the examination papers reportedly reached the centre late, Mr John Baptist Ekou, the chief invigilator, confirmed that the examination started well.

The Soroti SS deputy head teacher in-charge of academics, Mr Emmanuel Olaboro, is hopeful that their candidates will perform well.

The exercise kicked off smoothly in the Lango Sub-region districts of  Dokolo, Alebtong, Oyam, Kole, Apac, Otuke, Lira, Amolatar and Kwania.

Exercise in Kampala metropolitan

In Kampala metropolitan, the examinations kicked off on time at most schools. At Tropical High School Kabalagala, exams arrived 10 minutes to 9am. The head teacher, Ms Safiina Namataka, said the students were well prepared to sit for the exams. “Only 13 students have not cleared school fees.

However, the school is ready to leave the students with fees balances to sit for the exams but we shall withhold their results until they clear all the dues,” Ms Nakamata said. Candidates of Nakasero SS, Mackay Secondary School, Mengo SS and Old Kampala SS in Kampala were already in the examination room by 8:30am waiting for the first paper.

Ms Dorothy Kiggundu, an administrator at Mengo Senior School, said students had already started sitting their first paper by 9am. However, at Kitante SS and Lubiri SS, most candidates were still doing last minute revisions near the exam room.

Compiled by Bill Oketch, Phoebe Masongole, George Muron, Olivier Mukaaya, Fred Wambede, Joseph Omollo, Robert Muhereza, Naume Biira, Marko Taibot, Felix Warom, Robert Elema, Leonard Mbishinzimana, Rajab Mukombozi, Julius Byamukama, Felix Ainebyoona, Al Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Diphas Kiguli, Damali Mukhaye, Peter Sserugo & Karim Muyombo