The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) is seeking sh28.1 billion to among other things enhance security of examinations, certification and construct storage facilities.
The matter came up Thursday when a team of UNEB officials led by the Board Executive Secretary, Dan Odongo appeared before the Education Committee of parliament to present their budget framework paper for the 2019/2020 financial year.
The UNEB total budget estimates for the next financial year totals to Shillings 112.9 billion up from Shillings 108.2 billion this financial year. While presenting the budget estimates to the committee chaired by Pallisa County MP Jacob Opolot, Odongo highlighted some of the challenges in executing the budget and unfunded items and called for the committee’s intervention.
He told the committee that the sophistication of examination malpractice by candidates and some members of the public continue to put the credibility of UNEB papers at risk, saying part of the constraint is the weak law that doesn’t provide detailed sanctions for various offences.
Odongo told the MPs that the Board has embarked on a number of infrastructural installations to improve the security of examinations, which require Shillings 10.8 billion in the coming financial year. The money is to carter for installation of CCTV cameras in marking centers at Shillings 2.1 billion such that all activities can be monitored from the Head Quarters.
Another Shillings 2.4 billion is required for procuring an automatic counting, wrapping and labeling machine for exams since the activities are currently done manually leading to some leakage. Other equipment needed is a smart locking system at exam storage stations and security printer for certificates, which will cost Shillings 2.76 billion and Shillings 3.5 billion respectively.
The Examinations Body also decried the inadequate development budget and asked for an additional Shillings 10.8 billion on top of the budgeted Shillings 4.5 billion in the coming financial year. Odongo said the current capital budget is inadequate to support construction of the storage facility for examination materials.
“Currently, the Board continues to hire warehouses that are costly. We request for an additional capital budget to complete the project. The Board needs Shillings 10.88billion to start the 1st phase construction of Kyambogo warehouses/storage structure,” reads part of Odongo’s presentation to the committee.
He also sought another Shillings 3.02 billion, saying the Board is unable to conduct the National Assessment of Progress in Education- NAPE in Secondary for the fourth year running despite being among the top priorities of the sector. He said failure to undertake NAPE Secondary implies that policy and decision making will not be informed by evidence.
Odongo said the required fund is to enable his board carry out instrument development and sampling, procurement of packing materials, production and printing of instruments and manuals, field administration, scoring, data processing, report production and dissemination.
The board also needs Shillings 3.5 billion for continuous assessment so as to develop and produce continuous assessment materials, sensitization of people, training of implementers, establishment of record management system and others.
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