The Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations started smoothly on Monday across the country, with science candidates sitting their Physics Paper One in the morning and Physics Paper Two in the afternoon, as their Arts colleagues did their History examination, English, and Kiswahili languages.
According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb), the examinations started on time and were conducted smoothly, without any major incidents. Addressing journalists in Kampala, Uneb Spokesperson Jennifer Kalule said all the examination materials were distributed to 2,844 centres across the country without major incidents. “The first day has gone smoothly. We thank the weather and field staff for ensuring timely delivery,” Ms Kalule said.
She warned the public against engaging in examination malpractice, stressing that offenders would be prosecuted under the Uneb Act, which carries penalties of between five and 10 years’ imprisonment. “Anyone apprehended will be dealt with in accordance with the law. We have zero tolerance for malpractice,” she said. At Soroti Secondary School, with a total of 641 candidates started their exams at exactly 9am. Mr Charles Peter Opolot, the director of studies at Soroti Secondary School, said despite the timely delivery, one of their candidates, Remedius Ogwang, didn’t appear for the examination. Mr Patrick Emokor, the principal education officer of Soroti City, acknowledged that compared to UCE exams, UACE examination papers arrived early. “So far, we are doing well. I will assess the situation as the day goes on, otherwise, there are no shortages, no late deliveries,” he said.
At Soroti Municipal Secondary School, Mr Rogers Mboizi said they began at 9am with 17 students sitting for their Physics Paper One out of 75 who registered for the UACE exams. In Apac, in the greater Lango Sub-region, the UACE kicked off smoothly, without glitches, according to the area secretary for education and health, Mr Sam Opira. In the neighbouring Kwania, there was also no reported incident of the late arrival of examination materials as witnessed in the PLE. However, while schools were dead quiet, the Lira City streets were noisy as several parliamentary candidates launched of their campaigns. The Uneb area supervisor for Tororo District, Ms Beatrice Akware Lumonya, said the examinations started at 9am in most of the 16 sitting centres.
She told this publication that most of the head teachers were at the distribution centres by 7:30am and this made it easy for them to handle the distribution exercise faster. “Unlike in the UCE where we had over 36 sitting centres, this time round the sitting centres were few and this made us handle it faster starting with the farthest,’’ Ms Lumonya said. She cautioned those managing the exercise and also candidates against examination malpractice. In Mbale City and the neighbouring district, Mr Rogers Taitika said they had not registered any case of malpractice. When this publication visited schools in western Uganda, there were no registered cases of delays in delivery of papers.
At Nyakagyeme Secondary School in Rukungiri District, the head teacher, Mr Denis Mukunzi, said they registered 23 candidates. “The candidates are already doing their first exam. So far the situation is still normal and we ask God to keep us well so that we can go through this exercise in a peaceful manner,” he said. At Katurika Secondary School, in Rukungiri District, the head teacher, Mr Sam Muguruza, said the school is prepared for the exercise. At Kashenyi Secondary School in Rukungiri District, Rev Ivan Mwongyera, the head teacher, said the school registered 67 candidates and they all turned up for briefing on Friday last week. “The situation at the school is calm and our candidates are already in the examination room for their first exam.