UNEB issues last call for registration of 2022 candidates

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda National Examinations Board-UNEB has issued the last call to schools and parents to register candidates for the 2022 national examinations.

In a notice issued to schools and the general public, Dan Odongo, the UNEB Executive Director noted that according to their schedule, normal registration will end on May 31. This means that schools have less than a week, before the end of the normal registration period for the 2022 UNEB candidates.

“The Uganda National Examinations Board appeals to parents and guardians to endeavor to pay for the registration of the potential candidates, before the end of the first deadline, to avoid paying a surcharge. Heads of centres for the government-aided schools are only reminded to upload the candidate data as soon as possible to minimize challenges related to last-minute submission,” Odongo notice reads in part.

He added that although the normal registration period ends on May 31, late registration, which attracts a surcharge, will take place in June 2022. With surcharges, the primary seven candidates will be paying 68,000 Shillings while their senior four candidates will pay 246,000 Shillings and the senior six candidates 279,000 Shillings.

Odongo warned that head teachers in public schools who will register candidates beyond the normal time will personally foot the surcharges since they are not covered by the government.

A total of 1,055,336 candidates have so far been registered at all levels according to statistics obtained from the examinations body. Odongo says that 93 percent of the expected Primary Leaving Examination candidates have already been registered. But the numbers for Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education-UACE, senior six candidates and Uganda Certificate of Education, senior four are still lower than those expected.

According to their projections based on recent trends, UNEB expected 106,000 candidates for UACE and 370,000 candidates for UCE examinations. However, by close of business yesterday, only 54 percent and 63 percent of senior six and senior four respectively had been registered on the system. This means that over 185,660 expected candidates at these levels are yet to register.

Odongo noted that the low numbers at secondary can be explained by several factors. “Although we have an expected number, there is a fact that A’ level candidature might remain low. Some learners didn’t progress to S.6 when schools reopened. Remember they had barely covered any content in S.5. Although we have an abridged curriculum, many might have found fit to remain in S.5,” Odongo argued.

Although the explanation for low numbers at A level is understandable, factors for the same phenomena at UCE are puzzling. It was expected that numbers for this level could be higher given the fact that the government allowed learners from two cohorts (those who sat PLE in 2017 and 2018) to sit for UCE examinations this year.

Besides possible mass dropout of learners from school due to effects of COVID-19, lack of registration fees has been blamed for the low turn up of learners in senior four.

Odongo preferred to differ saying that the fees issue doesn’t give a bigger picture as public schools whose registration is covered by the government have not been responding to the registration. He says that there is a possibility that schools want to wait for the deadline and register at the last minute.

Asked why the government doesn’t foot the bill for private learners who could have failed to raise the fee, Dr Denis Mugimba said that it was impossible.

“It’s a tricky route to take, government has always advised parents who cannot afford private education to send learners to public schools that are the only available solution at the moment since registration fee in those schools is already covered,” he said.

Dr Mugimba however advised that schools and parents can negotiate on the matter so that students are registered and parents pay later when they obtain the fees.

UNEB has also cautioned government-aided schools not to register private candidates as government-sponsored candidates.

“This is a fraudulent practice which causes financial loss to the government. Any head of an examination centre or school director discovered to have indulged in this practice shall pay twice the amount that has been defrauded” he said.

Odongo further noted that after the registration, the board will display successfully registered candidates to confirm the registration status of their learners.

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