Uganda Business and Technical Examination Board (UBTEB), has threatened to withdraw centre numbers of both private and public tertiary institutions which have failed to comply with the board’s requirements.
During a media briefing at UBTEB offices in Kampala on Wednesday, Dr Wilfred Nahamya, the board’s deputy executive secretary examination management, said they had commenced a three-week inspection exercise of all the technical and vocational education institutions to ensure continuous improvement by training and quality education offered to learners as the country strives to achieve National Development Plan (NDP) III objectives.
“On completion of this exercise the relevant committee of the board shall make recommendations to the board in regard to the status of the accredited centres as per the report,” Dr Nahamya said.
After the exercise, Dr Nahamya said the board will make a final recommendation to the status of the accreditation of the respective training institutions which will include, temporary withdrawing of the centre number for those that don’t meet the minimum standards.
Others penalties will include withdrawing some programmes and granting full or provisional accreditation.
“Withdrawing a centre has a lot of implications because you already have students and when you withdraw a centre, those students will not sit at that particular centre,” Dr Nahamya said, adding that,
“However, behind our backs we know there are students, we do not want to disadvantage them, so this is a last resort recommendation.”
According to him temporary withdraw can run for a period of three months to enable the institution put certain things in order.
“And if they are not measuring up to our expectations, we withdraw completely and students sit from another nearby centre,” he added.
For any training institution to be accredited by UBTEB, it should have a valid license or registration certificate by the ministry of education and sports and license from National Council for Higher Education for those offering diploma programmes.
Others include, a team of professionals and qualified staff and management as well as adequate infrastructure such as training workshops, laboratories, lecture rooms and ICT facilities, among others.
According to Dr Nahamya, the board superintends over 278 institutions with full accreditation and 327 on provisional.
UBTEB is a statutory national assessment body established by the Act of Parliament and mandated to regulate, coordinate and conduct credible examinations for the awards of certificates and diplomas students in business, technical and vocational professionalism in Uganda
