The Minister of State for Primary Education, Hon. Joyce Moriku, has revealed that the government has issued a directive to all schools allowing all pupils and students to sit their final examinations.
Moriku told the House chaired by Speaker Anita Among on Wednesday, 02 November 2022 that parents and school owners should work out modalities of paying up the school fees balances and not deny the learners the exams.
She said that the advance in technology had made the school administrators strict on payment of dues before exams are administered.
“Once a child (candidate) is registered, results are obtained online, but we have taken it up and pledge to ensure that P.7 and S.6 candidates all sit their exams,” Moriku added.
Buhweju County Member of Parliament, Hon. Francis Mwijukye, had raised concern that many students in his district were barred from sitting their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) final exams on account that they had not completed their school fees.
He expressed concern that the move by schools could also affect candidates expected to sit for their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams.
“My prayer is that the Ministry of Education directs that all candidates be permitted to sit exams because it is unfair that one will study all these years and be denied exams because of fees arrears,” Mwijukye said.
He added that the Ministry of Education should ask students and parents to clear their arrears before they receive their results.
Speaker Anita Among emphasized that all learners should be allowed to sit for their exams irrespective of whether they are in government or private schools.
“You cannot spend seven years (primary) or four years (lower secondary) studying and then at exam time you are barred from sitting exams, it is unfair. Government is supposed to give us free education,” the Speaker said.
Hon. Asuman Basalirwa (JEEMA, Bugiri Municipality) tasked the Ministry of Education to also consider students at university and other tertiary levels who are to sit for exams but are unable to complete tuition fees.
The Speaker tasked the Minister for Education to lay on the table, the circular issued to schools, “…so that whoever does not comply with the circular will be held accountable.”