The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has announced plans to boost invigilators’ pay ahead of the 2024 national examinations.
Uneb says improved allowances for invigilators will enhance integrity of examinations by eliminating temptations of leaking them for quick gains.
Uneb executive director Daniel Odongo said this comes after concerns that school heads have been compromising invigilators with bribes, leading to exam leaks.
Mr Odongo confirmed that the current pay for invigilators, set at Shs40,000 will be reviewed and increased to reduce the likelihood of bribery and ensure a fairer examination process.
He acknowledged that inadequate compensation has made invigilators vulnerable, which in turn has jeopardsed the integrity of past exams.
"Raising the pay is a necessary step towards reducing the vulnerability of our invigilators to bribery," Odongo said.
This pay increase is part of UNEB’s broader strategy to prepare for the 2024 PLE by addressing two critical areas: invigilator compensation and examination security.
In addition to boosting pay, UNEB is also tightening security measures at exam centers to prevent unauthorized access to exam materials.
Odong highlighted that UNEB will deploy more security personnel at local councils, ensuring stricter monitoring of invigilators, teachers, and school heads.
The enhanced security measures are aimed at preventing the growing trend of exam leaks that have compromised past examinations.
"Security will be heightened this year. We are deploying more personnel to ensure stricter monitoring and control during the exams," Odongo said.
With these new measures, UNEB aims to restore public trust in the national examinations and ensure a fair and transparent process for all candidates.