Don't Stop Fees Defaulters From Doing Exams-UNEB Warns Headteachers

Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) the independent body that is responsible for preparing and marking exams of all candidates at different levels in the Country has issued a strong warning to all Primary Headteachers not to block any P.7 student from seating final exams due to failure to complete school fees.

This heavy and punishable warning was issued by Ms Jennifer Kalulu Musamba the head communications of UNEB while addressing the media ahead of PLE which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

She says any Head teacher who blocks any candidate from seating his or her final exams commits an offence under section 30 (1) of the UNEB ACT 2021 and will be arrested and prosecuted in courts of law. "Once one is convicted under this act, he or she will be liable to pay a fine of shs 20m or imprisonment of five years or both," tough Jennifer says. She adds "this is there fore to caution all heads of UPE Centers to ensure that they present all registered candidates for examination starting tomorrow with briefing," She revealed.

She further explained that UNEB will always help schools to recover their fees from students by holding their UNEB results.
Jennifer reveals that last week a magistrate in Makindye remanded to prison the Director Kisugu High school in Kampala one Kasolo Celestine 48 years for denying a student to sit for biology paper due to school fees balance.

Madam Jennifer further warned Head teachers of UPE schools from registering private students to seat for UPE exams. "By registering private students, you are defrauding government resources and it is also criminal and publishable," she says adding that private students should be declared and registration fees be paid accordingly.

She added that this year, UNEB registered a total 749347 candidates for PLE. She says 52% are females while 48% are males. " We have a total of 14442 PLE Centers of those 79% are UPE while 21% are non UPE,"She states adding UPE begins on Tuesday with briefing and end on Friday.