Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has revealed that the 2022 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) will officially begin on Monday 7th November 2022 with the briefing of candidates countrywide at the various examination centres.
According to Dan Odongo, the Executive Secretary of UNEB, the actual writing of the papers will, however, take place on Tuesday, November 8 and Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Odongo revealed that the field conduct of the examination will be handled by 139 District Monitors, 12,391 Scouts, 10,356 Chief Invigilators and 33,395 Invigilators.
He noted that a number of security officers are being deployed across the country to support the exercise and ensure the security of the examination, the field officers and the candidates.
A total of 832,810 candidates are expected to sit for this year’s PLE from 14,153 examination Centres.
Odongo said that this is an increase of 82,999 (11.1%) from 2020. “61 of these candidates are inmates from Upper Prison School Luzira. 51.9% (432,618) of the total candidature are females while 48.1% (400,192) are males. 70.1% (583,769 ) are funded under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Program, while 29.9% (249,041) are non-UPE candidates.”
At least 2,316 candidates were registered to have Special Needs Education (SNE) requirements, an increase of 717 candidates (44.8%).
A total of 923 SNE personnel, up from 659 (40.1% increase), will be deployed to provide support.
Odongo asked Heads of Centres to ensure that the health and safety SOPS, as provided by the Ministry of Health, are fully observed.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry ordered non-candidate pupils in the day section to stay home for two days to pave way for Primary Seven candidates to sit for their examinations without interruption.
The Ministry banned parents from picking up non-candidate pupils in the boarding section from schools until the term ends due to the Ebola outbreak.
It also directed all schools across the country to allow pupils who have been isolated because they are contacts of patients infected with Ebola to sit for their Primary Leaving Examinations.
The Board also warned all persons contemplating any form of examination malpractice that they will be dealt with in accordance with the UNEB Act 2021.