Stop using exam time as safety net for fees defaulters, UNEB tells school heads

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has advised school managers to stop using examination time as a safety net to deal with fees defaulters.

The warning was on Wednesday made by Mr Dennis Akwar, UNEB principal examinations officer during the training of examination supervisors, invigilators, head teachers and security personnel from Rwampara, Mbarara District and Mbarara City.

“We appeal to head teachers and school managers to stop the habit of using the examination time to catch up with fees defaulters. This habit is common but has to stop because you are not only denying innocent children the right to education but it’s also inhumane. Start engaging parents early enough to pay school fees for their children before exams time,” he said.

Some schools especially private ones have a tendency of denying students exams over fees balances. Though the practice has repeatedly been publicly condemned, it has not stopped.

The UNEB public relations officer, Ms Jennifer Kalule, said that the moment students register for exams, the schools should not stop them from doing final examinations because UNEB has an amicable arrangement of not releasing results for students who have not cleared school fees balances with former schools.

“We have told schools to write to us names of students who have not completed school fees such that we don’t release their results. Some are worried about the digital era but the results of such students can never be accessed in any way either digital or otherwise until the school informs us that they have cleared,” she said.

The Mbarara High School head teacher, Mr Ham Ahimbisibwe agreed with Mr Akwar’s position advising school managers to work out school fees payment plans early enough other than frustrating students' efforts.

“Some of the parents in my school are not economically stable but through engagements, we have had their children successfully complete and even turn out as the best,” he said. 

Mr Akwar also urged the team to be more vigilant while supervising this year’s exams to prevent exam malpractices.

“When we talk of exam malpractices your minds race to exams cheating directly like impersonation, aiding learners and smuggling notes in examination rooms. But there are other malpractices that are also serious offences like ignoring the seating arrangement, late collection and delivery of examination materials and accessing examination rooms with phones which attract serious reprimand,” he warned.