Africa-Press – Uganda. Last year, at least 14 Senior Four students of Mugobi Secondary School in Bugobi Town Council, Namutumba District, missed sitting their final exams after their headmaster allegedly failed to remit their registration fees amounting to about Shs2.5 million to Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb). Consequently, the students were left staring at a bleak future after the head teacher, Mr Godfrey Musasizi, fled the school.
It was reported that Mr Musasizi only registered three of 17 candidates at the neighbouring government Nkono Secondary School since his school, Modern SS, lacked a Uneb centre number. Just like that, the students were left in the dark.
This year, Uneb also withheld the results for Walyoba Brilliant Primary School and Asaba Primary School, both in Masindi District, for failing to pay a balance of Shs50,000 and Shs10,000, respectively as examination fees.
It is common to read and hear such stories during the time when candidates are sitting their final examinations or when Uneb results are being released. As such, the affected candidates are left in a state of despair.
Primary and secondary schools across the country have again started the process of registering candidates slated to sit the 2023 Uneb examinations. The examinations body says the registration fees have been maintained at Shs34,000 for Primary Leaving Examinations, Shs164,000 for Uganda Certificate of Education and Shs186,000 for Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education for privately-sponsored learners.
To avoid previous inconveniences to our children and humiliation to schools, this process needs the serious attention it deserves. It is important that all stakeholders play their part as required. Schools should clearly follow Uneb guidelines in registering candidates. They should do this by charging the specified fees without extorting more money from parents.
Equally, parents should follow through with schools where their children are, first by ensuring that the schools have centre numbers and also that candidates meet all the requirements to fully register. Secondly, parents must ensure that their children are indeed registered in time by demanding accountability from those responsible through the relevant structures.
Importantly, Uneb must take the lead in tasking schools to meet the set guidelines and requirements while registering these candidates.
It is wrong in all forms for Uneb officials to wake up at the last minute and punish innocent candidates by either denying them examinations or withholding their results for matters beyond their control.
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