Parents have stormed St. Christine Schools in Kakumiro district tasking the management to explain why they failed to make adequate transport arrangements, which made 27 primary seven candidates miss the mathematics paper Tuesday morning.
The affected candidates are registered at Mpasana primary school UNEB center in Mpasana town council. The candidates were turned away when they arrived one hour and fifteen minutes late for the exams that start at exactly 9am.
The school director, Pascal Asiimwe blamed the mess on transport challenges. The candidates were allowed to sit for social studies, which took place in the afternoon.
On Tuesday morning, parents stormed St. Christine Schools demanding an explanation from the authorities as to why their children missed the paper yet they cleared all the school fees and other requirements on time.
Silva Rushokoza, one of the parents says that he was shocked to hear his child had missed the mathematics paper.
He wants the school to refund the money he paid for his child since he has to repeat primary seven next year.
He says they are ready to drag the school management to court for destroying the future of their children for the last seven years.
Emmanuel Mpirirwe, the school PTA Chairperson says the director is to blame for the mess since parents played their part by clearing all the requirements needed for their children to the exams. He wants the government to take stern action against the director.
Patrick Tibanyenza, another parent says prior to the start of PLE, they agreed all the candidates be relocated Mpasana Primary school UNEB center where they would write their exams from.
He wondered why the school authorities rejected their proposal and wants the government to help them hunt for the school director who has since gone into hiding for justice to prevail.
Stellazia Namirembe, another aggrieved parent, says it is too painful for their children to complete seven years at school only to miss their final examinations. She has rallied other parents to mobilize resources and drag the school to court to compensate them together with their children.
William Baleke, the Kakumiro District Education Officer says that there was a lot of negligence on the part of the school, saying appropriate disciplinary action is to be taken against the school management.
Major David Matovu, the Kakumiro Resident District Commissioner (RDC), says the school authorities should account for the mess.
Pascal Asiimwe has since vanished from the school and switched off his known mobile telephone numbers. A total of 4,334 Primary seven candidates registered for the Primary Leaving Examinations-PLE in Kakumiro district this year.