Hundreds miss PLE in Luwero

Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 100 candidates from Luwero district have missed the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), which started yesterday. On Wednesday morning, Primary Leaving Examination candidates across the country began the examinations by writing mathematics papers. In the afternoon, the candidates wrote the Social Studies paper.

In Luwero, 16,090 candidates registered to sit examinations at 180 UNEB centers spread across the district. UNEB deployed 180 chief invigilators and 647 invigilators to administer examinations to the candidates at the centers. However, a survey by URN in Luwero district indicates that more than 100 candidates have not turned up to sit the exams.

Some of the visited primary schools include Luwero Boys, Kamira Church of Uganda, Mazzi, Kabukunga, Kabuguma, Nazareth SDA, and Galikwoleka Roman Catholic Primary School, among others. The schools have registered between 2-6 candidates each missing on day one for PLE.

Burton Bbumba, the Headteacher of Luwero Boys Primary School, said that he registered 106 candidates for PLE but 104 were present and sat the examinations. Bbumba explained that one candidate with special needs was withdrawn by the parent, and the second dropped out this term due to domestic violence.

Aidah Nsobya, a teacher for students with Special Needs Education at Luwero Boys Primary School, said they received a report that the parent discontinued a deaf candidate from sitting for PLE, insisting that she wasn’t performing well in class.

At Mazzi Primary School, 81 candidates registered to sit PLE, but today six candidates were absent. Jeremiah Bbosa, the headteacher of Mazzi Primary School, explained that earlier, he received reports from LC 1 Chairmen that the candidates had relocated with their parents to other areas because they are pastoralists and couldn’t turn up to sit for PLE.

At Kabuguma Primary School, two candidates were also absent, and the headteacher, Hanningtone Kisitu, explained that the parents had relocated due to land eviction. At Galikwoleka Primary School, five candidates were also absent, and the headteacher, Henry Bayigga, said some relocated with their parents, while others were recruited into casual jobs.

Daniel Kyaterekera, the District Secretary of Education, said that at Nazareth SDA Primary School, he was informed that two candidates were absent—one was married off, and the other had relocated to another area. Kyaterekera said the District Education Department will analyze cases of absenteeism and sensitize the parents on the need to ensure that they enable their children to sit for PLE without fail.

“The headteachers did their part to trace the candidates before the exams. The reasons that the parents relocated are non-satisfactory for absenteeism, and parents need to be sensitized. We shall sit as stakeholders to ensure that candidates don’t always miss because it’s now a common problem every year. Even if they relocate, parents must ensure that candidates return and sit exams,” Kyaterekera said.

Kyaterekera also condemned early marriages that had denied some candidates the opportunity to sit PLE and asked stakeholders to intensify sensitization to fight the problem. According to PLE results for 2023, 338 candidates didn’t turn up to sit the examination, and 385 candidates were absent in 2022 in Luwero district.

Meanwhile, from Masaka city, there was panic at St. Bruno Primary School Ndegeya, one of the 78 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) centers in Masaka city, after distributors delayed delivering the examination papers. The candidates began writing their examination after 10 am.

Grace Ndagano, the Invigilator, said that although they were at the school before 8:00 am, the papers were not delivered on time. She called the City Education Officer.

Sarah Nakabuye, the Head Teacher of Ndegeya School for the Deaf, also said that her candidates were equally affected by the delay, which may affect their performance.

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URN