Tingtra Onung, the director of Katikati Secondary School in Amuru, is reportedly on the run after eight Senior Four students were unable to sit for their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams due to registration irregularities with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
According to Michael Lakony, the district chairperson, the affected students had paid their registration fees in full, but the school administration failed to submit the payments to UNEB.
The negligence led to emotional distress for one of the students, who had to be admitted to the mental health unit at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital after realizing she couldn’t sit for the exams.
“She developed mental distress,” Lakony said.
Lakony blamed the school's administration for poor coordination, noting that this is not the first time such an incident has occurred.
"In 2022, the same thing happened after the director swindled the money meant for students' registration," he added.
The incident at Katikati Secondary School runs contrary to a directive issued by the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among.
She stated that any school preventing students from sitting for their exams due to unpaid fees or registration issues should face legal consequences. Among reiterated this stance through the Parliament of Uganda’s social media account on October 14, 2024.
During a visit to the school on Tuesday, October 15, Lakony found the institution almost deserted, with only seven Senior Three students present.
"The school director has run away, and you can see the school is deserted; even teachers are not there," Lakony lamented.
The case has been reported to police under reference number CRB461/2024.
In a related incident, a student from Bethel Christian Secondary School in Gulu City also missed the start of the UCE exams due to similar registration complications.
The school, owned by Bishop James Ocan of the Pentecostal Church in Northern Uganda, is facing questions over the student's exclusion from the examination process.
These cases highlight ongoing concerns about the management of student registrations and the accountability of school administrations during critical examination periods.
