UNEB Warns Schools Against Blocking Candidates Over Unpaid Fees as UCE Exams Begin
By Kyeyune Ali
The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has warned school administrators against blocking registered candidates from sitting their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations over outstanding school fees, as 503,055 learners begin their examinations.
UNEB Public Relations Officer Jennifer Kalule Musamba while addressing media at UNEB head official in Ntinda on Monday urged heads of examination centres to allow all registered candidates to sit their papers, regardless of their outstanding financial obligations to schools.
“We request you to let the learners who have been able to register for the examination from your centre sit for the examination. Later on, you can come up with a manner of understanding on how they can pay the fees,” Kalule Musamba said.
She cautioned school administrators against denying candidates the opportunity to sit their examinations, describing such action as criminal where a learner has been registered for the examinations.
“It is criminal for any learner who has registered for the examination to be forbidden from sitting the examination,” she added.
Kalule Musamba said schools with candidates who have outstanding fees could instead submit their names and index numbers to UNEB for consideration of withholding their results under the board’s applicable arrangements, rather than preventing them from taking the examinations.
The warning comes as 503,055 candidates commence this year’s UCE examinations, which opened with Mathematics in the morning session, followed by Chemistry in the afternoon.
UNEB also reminded candidates to report to their examination centres at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start of each paper to avoid inconveniences.
According to Kalule Musamba, candidates who arrive 15 minutes after an examination has started will not be permitted to sit that particular paper.
She encouraged learners travelling long distances to make appropriate transport arrangements to ensure they reach their examination centres on time.
Meanwhile, UNEB reported that the distribution of examination papers had proceeded smoothly despite the morning rains, with distributors delivering the papers to their respective stations by Sunday night.
“We are sure that all the centres are going to be able to access the examination papers in good time,” Kalule Musamba said.
She urged heads of examination centres to be present at their respective stations to receive examination papers and ensure that the exercise proceeds according to schedule.
The board further appealed to head teachers, school directors and other examination administrators, particularly those in private schools, to ensure that every registered candidate is given an opportunity to sit the examinations.
UNEB reiterated that outstanding school fees should not stand in the way of registered learners taking their examinations, urging schools to use the procedures provided by the board to address unpaid fees.