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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 46 inmates at the Uganda Prisons Service have started their Uganda National Certificate of Education examinations amidst heightened lockdown measures. They include 41 males and five females.
The examinations started at 9 a.m. prompt at the Luzira Maximum Security Prisons where access to outsiders has been limited to invigilators while movement in the upper prison is also restricted. One can only access Prisons through the main gate as three of the small gates have been locked due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine, they have successfully observed social distancing at the examination centre because their numbers are fewer, compared to the schools. He says all invigilators and officials from Uganda National Examinations Board are sanitized from the main gate to the Upper Prisons gate, in order to avoid the possible importation of COVID-19 cases.
According to Baine, the centre had registered 48 candidates, but the two others were released after serving their sentences and could not return to sit for the final examinations.
Gilbert Niwamanya, the inmate’s headmaster says that they are hopeful for a better performance this season even though it has been a tough education year for the inmates too. He says that they have managed social distancing well with all invigilators putting on face shields and masks, while all the candidates have got face masks and are socially distanced.
“We have enough space for all of them, and we have socially distanced them to two meters apart, and there are hand washing facilities for the inmates before they enter the examinations” Niwamanya said.
The candidates started with the physics practical in the morning and they will be headed for Art in the afternoon. The 46 inmates are among the 333,889 candidates countrywide expected to seat in the 3,935 centres.
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