Headteachers warned against registering private students as government candidates

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has cautioned heads of government aided schools against registering private candidates as government sponsored candidates.

The warning comes as schools have less than a week before the end of the normal registration period for the 2022 UNEB candidates.

The normal registration period ends on May 31, while late registration, which attracts a surcharge, will take place during the month of June, 2022.

In a statement, Dan Odongo, the executive director at UNEB, said registering private candidates as government sponsored candidates is a fraudulent practice which causes financial loss to the government.

"Any head of an examination centre or school director discovered to have indulged in this practice shall pay twice the amount that has been defrauded. Relevant laws on fraud will also be applied on such head teachers or directors and in addition, the examination centre number of the school shall be withdrawn," he warned.

He appealed to parents and guardians to endeavour to pay for the registration of the potential candidates, before the end of the first deadline, to avoid paying a surcharge.

He said so far, data for 93% of the expected PLE candidates has been submitted to UNEB, while 63 % of the UCE and 54% of the UACE candidates' data has been uploaded.

This translates to about 1,055,336 candidates registered at all levels.

As provided for in the UNEB Act 2021 S.4(2), headteachers and district/city / municipal inspectors of schools should display the register of the candidates registered for the examinations in a conspicuous place at the school and district noticeboards respectively by 13th August, 2022.

Odongo said parents, candidates and other interested parties should make use of the display to confirm the registration status of the learners as well as the accuracy of data provided.