Ministry of Education to get tougher on exam cheats
TYABA ABU-BAKER
The Ministry of Education and Sports has warned those intending to cheat in national examinations that there will be dire consequences.
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Speaking during the release of examination results for the May/June business and vocational examination sitting supervised by the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB), state minister for Higher Education Dr Chrysostom Muyingo said there will be no more listening for pleas from affected candidates and schools suspected of engaging in examination malpractice.
“Those that will be involved in cheating or leaking exams to students will have broken the law and will be subjected to the laws of the country. It doesn’t matter whether it is someone within UNEB, UBTEB, schools or even the mothers and fathers at home so long as they will be found to have contributed to the offence”, Muyingo said.
This was after the minister announced the cancellation of results for 26 candidates suspected of having cheated the UBTEB examinations. His warning was in relation to last year’s leaks nationwide that characterised the UNEB examinations.
Business and Vocational exam results
Dr Muyingo representing First Lady who doubles as the Minister for Education and Sports, also released UBTEB exam results that showed an improvement in performance across the board.
According to UBTEB executive secretary CPA, Onesmus Oyesigye, a total of 7,588 candidates registered for their final examinations, a rise from the 6,730 registered in the May/June 2017 sitting.
This is attributed to a decision by the ministry to streamline assessment of post O’level certificate programs that gave UBTEB mandate to conduct exams in all business and technical studies.
31,000 students are expected to sit for their final examinations in the November/December 2018 sitting.
“In this particular series of May/June 2018 examinations, females maintained their lead in technical diploma programs with a completion rate of 74% compared to males at 69.7%, while male candidates outcompeted them in business at 74.8% and 65.1% respectively”, CPA Oyesigye revealed.
The executive secretary decried the inadequate funding which hinders the Board from implementing highly practical and CBET oriented new national curricula.
He also called for the provision of computers to institutions to improve performance in computer related studies.
Dr Muyingo also launched UBTEB’s two year strategic plan that will govern the Board’s activities. This includes the construction of a permanent home in Kyambogo.
