UCE exams start, UNEB asks parents to attend candidate briefing

 The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) executive secretary, has called upon parents to partake of the senior four candidates briefing in respective schools tomorrow.

Mr Daniel Nokrach Odongo, was speaking at a press conference at UNEB’s offices in Ntinda, Kampala on Wednesday.

He cautioned head teachers against delegating briefing duties to other teachers as is the case in most schools.

“UNEB has provided for a special period timetable for the briefing of candidates. This has been scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 13 October, 2017. During this period candidate should be taken through the regulations and caution that have been spelt out. Consequences of breaches of these regulations such as involvement in examination malpractices must be clearly explained to them……..where possible it should be advisable for parents to attend,” Mr Odongo said.

“All head teachers, , head of centres, teachers, candidates and parents are strongly warned against involving themselves in any acts of malpractice or irregularities in the examinations. Very firm action that includes withdrawal of examination centre status of the schools will be taken against those that will not heed to this warning,’ he added.

The year 2016 saw a significant drop in the number of cancelled results from 1853 in 2015 to 1,108, a drop of 745 (40 percent).

He appealed to religious leaders throughout the country to pray for candidates and called upon candidates to read questions carefully and understand their demands before answering them, he urged for confidence ahead of the exams.

UNEB according to Odongo will deploy over 1650 scouts and security personnel to monitor and conduct of the examination through out the country.

UNEB registered a total of 326,149 candidates from 3,568 exam centres for the 2017 examination. 1.7million students will sit for the UCE, PLE, and UACE this year