Joyce Namugambe
The Uganda National examinations board has commissioned the 2023 PLE examinations which are starting today, Tuesday November 7th 2023 with the briefing for candidates and tomorrow, Wednesday November 8th 2023, P.7 candidates are to start their written papers. And the briefing for the UACE candidates is to commence this Friday November 10th 2023 and they are to start their written papers on Monday 13th 2023.
Like the UCE examinations, PLE and UACE examinations are being conducted under the theme integrity and security in the management of examinations is a joint responsibility .
According to UNEB, a total number of 749,347 candidates registered for this year’s PLE examinations from 14,442 examination centers as compared to 14153 centers last year. Among these candidates 391,558 are females while 357,789 are males.
From the 79 candidates who registered in upper prison school, 13 are females and 66 are males. 79% of the examination centers are Universal primary education schools with a total of 501,619 candidates.
The non UPE centers are 21% with 247,728 candidates. In total, 70% of the candidates are funded under the Universal Primary education program while 30% are privately sponsored. Additionally, 2580 candidates were registered under special needs education requirements compared to 2316 candidates last year.
These candidates are to be given necessary support from UNEB through providing braille question papers and answer sheets for the blind, large print question papers for those with low vision, sign language interpreters for the deaf, and transcribers for learners with dyslexia and those with severe physical impairments.
Further more, the special needs candidates will be given extra 45 minutes for each paper. UNEB has already deployed 769 special needs media personnel to assist learners.
For the UACE candidates, atotal number of 110,569 regestered for this Examinations as compared to 97,889 candidates last year which indicates a 11.4% increase in candidature. 22.3% of the candidates are none UPOLET while 77.7% are privately sponsored. In terms of gender, 43% of the candidates are females and 57% are males.
A number of 34 candidates are inmates from Luzira upper prison where 4 are females and 30 are males. This year’s UACE candidates are to write their exams in 2103 centres around the country.
Addressing the press at Uganda media centre, the UNEB executive Director Dan N Odongo warned school headteachers and directors to settle school fees issues with parents ahead of examinations since it will be a criminal offence under section 30 of UNEB Act 2021 to disrupt an examination while removing students on basis of school fees balances. However UNEB encourages parents to settle school fees balances with the school in a due time to avoid inconveniences.
The board strongly warns all persons contemplating involvement of any form of malpractices that they will be dealt with in accordance with UNEB act 2021.
