The first day of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations has started with incidents of attempted cheating by two female students who were caught with smart phones in the examination room.
This incident was reported by Jennifer Kalule Musumba, the public relations officer of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), in a statement released on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, on the UNEB website.
According to the statement, two female candidates were found with smart phones in the examination room at Masaka Hall during the afternoon session.
“One of the candidates was allegedly using artificial intelligence to download a history essay, while the other had summarized notes on the phone. The phones were promptly confiscated, and the candidates were allowed to complete their exams before being taken to the police for further investigation,” the statement read in part.
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In the statement, the contracted professionals and UNEB staff tasked to oversee the examination process were cautioned to increase the strictness, noting that the incident serves as a wake-up call since candidates are so knowledgeable with technology.
“The UACE examination is a high-stake examination with mature candidates who are very knowledgeable in technology, as earlier cautioned by the UNEB Executive Director, Mr. Dan Odongo, during the briefing sessions,” Musumba noted.
In a related development, the police in Kira division apprehended five teachers for the unauthorized possession of examination materials purported to be UNEB examination papers, contrary to the UNEB Act.
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Musumba identified the accused individuals as Ramathan Mugaga Male, Ronald Tumuhimbise, Nelson Otai, Richard Katamba, and Tom Kimanje, all of whom are facing legal consequences for their actions.
Despite these isolated incidents, the statement stated that the overall conduct of the UACE examination on the first day was smooth in most parts of the country, with no major challenges reported.
“The UNEB has reiterated the importance of maintaining the integrity of the examination process and has vowed to take swift action against any attempts to compromise the system,” the statement read.
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As the UACE examinations continue, UNEB urged all stakeholders, including students, teachers, and examination supervisors, to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism to ensure a fair and successful examination period.
The Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations for 2024 started on November 11, 2024, and will end on December 7, 2024. According to Dan Odongo, the UNEB Executive Secretary, 1,320,400 candidates have registered for the exams, a 7.8% increase from 2023.
