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Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two senior six candidates in Masaka City have been implicated in an examination cheating scandal involving artificial intelligence (AI).
According to information obtained from the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), the students Nabahinda Cecilia and Nakiyimba Grace, sitting their examinations at Masaka Hall, were caught using smartphones during an afternoon exam to access AI-generated essays and summarized notes.
Jennifer Kalule, the UNEB Spokesperson, said that one of the students reportedly downloaded an essay using an AI tool, while the other had stored notes on her device, circumventing exam regulations. The police are now investigating the incident as part of a broader crackdown on exam malpractice.
The incident occurred on the first day of the UACE examinations, which began on Monday. While it wasn’t the first time UNEB has caught a student with a phone during an exam, it was the first known instance of candidates using popular artificial intelligence apps to cheat on a national examination in Uganda.
According to the UNEB Act, candidates are strictly prohibited from bringing any foreign materials into the exam room, including mobile phones or any other communication devices, as well as receiving external assistance during the exam.
These rules are clearly outlined in the General Instructions and the Caution Against Malpractice document provided to all students during the pre-examination briefing.
Meanwhile, a similar incident occurred in Kenya just five days ago during the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, which is equivalent to Uganda’s Senior Four exams. In that case, candidates were also caught with smartphones during the examination, raising concerns over the growing use of mobile devices for cheating in national exams across the region.
In a separate but related case, the Police arrested more than five teachers in connection with the unauthorized possession and distribution of materials believed to be UNEB Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) papers, in violation of the UNEB Act.
The five arrested teachers include Ramathan Mugaga, 24, an invigilator at Kirinya Primary School in Nakawa Division, Kampala; Ronald Tumuhimbise, 40, a teacher from Kisoso Primary School in Masaka City; Nelson Otai, 31, a teacher from Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District; Richard Katamba, 40, also a teacher from Kisoso Zone, Kimanya, Masaka City; and Tom Kimanje, 30, a teacher from Kisoso Zone, Kimanya, Masaka City.
According to police reports, the implicated teachers were found in possession of digital content related to the PLE exam, including papers for Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English. Kimanje is also accused of sharing the materials with the Director of Kisoso Primary School, who remains at large.
The teachers are alleged to have shared the electronic content of what was believed to be UNEB PLE Papers, including maths, science, SST and English on social media platforms WhatsApp and Telegram. It is also said that the teachers arrested from Kisoro Primary School were reading out answers to the candidates.
The suspects are scheduled to appear in Kira Magistrate’s Court to face charges of examination malpractice. The arrested join a group of fellow teachers, UNEB scouts, and invigilators who were arrested during the field conduct of the PLE in various parts of the country.
Senior Four (S.4) and Primary Seven (P.7) candidates have completed their respective examinations and are now awaiting assessment by UNEB. As these candidates wait for their results, Senior Six (S.6) examinations have entered their second day.
According to the time table, In the afternoon, candidates taking Arts will sit for Economics Paper One, while those studying Science will sit for their Chemistry Practical exams. Later in the afternoon, Arts candidates will take Economics Paper Two.
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