The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has identified several districts as potential hotspots for examination malpractice as the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) officially begin.
According to UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule, intelligence reports point to Kampala, Kalungu, Gomba, Buyende and Kayunga as areas of concern. She said the board is working closely with security agencies to monitor and prevent any form of malpractice during the examinations.
Kalule said intelligence reports show that some schools in the said area are plotting to engage in malpractice. The schemes include attempts to bribe scouts and examiners or cheat during the distribution of examination papers.
She further urged headteachers, invigilators, and parents to uphold honesty throughout the examinations, warning that those caught will face strict penalties.
Last year, collusion between teachers and candidates was the most common form of cheating. At St. Mugagga Primary School in Nkozi, Mpigi District, a teacher was caught writing answers on the blackboard as invigilators watched.
In Masaka City, two unqualified teachers at Kisoso Parents School were found inside the examination room helping candidates. Similar incidents were reported in Kampala, Kayunga, and other districts.
On Monday, three people, a school director, a teacher, and a UNEB scout, were arrested in Oyam District after allegedly attempting to bribe another UNEB official to permit malpractice in today’s papers.
The PLE runs for two days, starting with Mathematics. A total of 817,885 candidates are sitting for this year’s exams, up from 797,444 in 2024, reflecting a 2.5 percent increase. The candidates are drawn from 16,140 examination centers. Of these, 389,529 (48 percent) are male, and 428,356 (52 percent) are female. Government-funded Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools account for 522,039 candidates (64 percent), while 295,846 (36 percent) are privately sponsored.
Sixty-one candidates are inmates at Luzira Upper Prison School, including seven females and fifty-four males. Another 3,644 candidates with special needs will receive support during the examinations, comprising 1,879 males and 1,765 females.
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