The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has set dates for the registration of all candidates scheduled to sit for this year’s national examinations.
Widespread Covid-19 infections instigated a nationwide shutdown of schools and other education institutions in the country in June last year.

The prolonged lockdown and Covid-induced challenges affected the planned 2021 national examination roadmap.
Schools were closed for six months until January 10 when they were reopened for all learners countrywide.
However, in a January 24 circular addressed to all heads of school and district education officers, Ubeb executive secretary Daniel Odongo gave schools across the country up to May 31 to register their candidates  for all the three sets of national  examinations.

Registration of candidates commenced on February 2. This means schools have three months to register their candidates to avoid paying an extra fee for late registration.
The national examination body has set June 30 as the date for late registration of candidates who might miss being registered in the normal timeframe over various reasons.
Primary Seven candidates are supposed to register for Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) while Senior Four and Senior Six candidates have to register for Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE), respectively.

  “Late registration fee per candidate for UCE and UACE is 50 per cent of total registration fee. Heads of school are thus reminded to take note of the issued important dates of registration of candidates,” the circular reads in part.
When contacted yesterday, Mr Odongo confirmed the exam registration dates, saying the board will this week brief journalists when it will conduct the national examinations.

 Under normal circumstances, Uneb usually conducts examinations starting with Senior Four candidates who sit in October followed by Primary Seven and Senior Six candidates in November 1.
“Before registration of candidates, we always send circulars to heads of school a few weeks before the registration dates to prepare their students. We shall brief the nation this week on other timelines for the forthcoming examination,” Mr Odongo said.
According to the rates set by Uneb, parents with pupils intending to sit for PLE this year will be required to pay Shs34,000. The same fee was paid in 2020.
Senior Four candidates will part with Shs164,000 and Senior Six candidates will pay  Shs186,000.

However, private candidates will pay an additional fee of Shs15,000 and Shs18, 000, respectively.
Government sponsors the biggest number of candidates each year under its universal education programmes both at primary and secondary levels.
The board also set Shs68,000 as late registration fee for each PLE candidate.
Mr Odongo said schools that will be caught charging beyond the standard rates risk losing their examination centre numbers or face other penalties slapped by the Ministry of Education.

Meanwhile, Uneb has given schools up to May 31 to make any changes because any amendment to already registered and submitted data will attract a Shs50, 000 surcharge.
Candidates who will sit for papers which they had not initially registered for [under –protest], will pay a Shs100,000 fee for each paper, charged with effect from the day examinations starts.
Mr Odongo warned that any examination centre that will be caught having candidates registered as those under government free education scheme, when they are  not ,  shall be charged normal registration fee plus 100 percent surcharge fee and Shs50,000 amendment fee.

The chairperson of National Private Education Institutions Association, Mr Hasadu Kirabira, said schools have already started registration of candidates, adding that they are ready for exams .
He, however, asked Uneb to clarify on the issue of the abridged curriculum.
“I don’t see any problem with Uneb setting dates for registration of candidates. What Uneb needs to do is to throw more light on how it is going to deal with the abridged curriculum that is not implemented by many schools, especially those in the countryside while others did not get copies of the new curriculum ,” he said.

Mr Kirabira also asked  Uneb to always consult private school proprietors before setting rates for registration of exams, saying they incur extra costs on taking passport photos for candidates, feeding them, among other expenses .
“We need to sit and agree with the Ministry of Education on the money private schools must charge to cater for all these requirements needed for registration of candidates. Setting the rates on our behalf makes parents think we are extorting money from them,” he added.

Mr Filbert Baguma, the secretary general Uganda National Teachers Association, asked Uneb  to ensure that all candidates are registered on time and heads of school who misuse exam registration fees are penalised.
“We have had cases where school head teachers get money, pocket it and do not register the candidates. It is an injustice because the learners who have spent a lot of time at home. Inspectors should be alert on this ,” he said.