Schools Registering ‘Normal’ Candidates Under Special Needs to Gain Undue Advantage – UNEB

Schools Registering ‘Normal’ Candidates Under Special Needs to Gain Undue Advantage – UNEB

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has expressed deep concern over a troubling trend where some schools are registering normal candidates under the special needs category, with the intention of gaining unfair advantages during the 2024 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). This practice, UNEB warns, could undermine the integrity of the examination process and lead to inequalities among candidates.

In a recent statement, UNEB highlighted that 48 special needs candidates were absent during the 2024 national exams. This absence has brought to light the increasing need for stricter monitoring and enhanced support for students with legitimate special needs. UNEB is concerned that these absences may be a result of schools misclassifying students, which has implications not only for the students themselves but also for the credibility of the examinations.

Dan Odongo, UNEB’s Executive Secretary, addressed the issue by pointing out that some schools have been enrolling students with common health conditions—such as asthma, epilepsy, and sickle cell anaemia—under the special needs category. While these health conditions may require medical attention, UNEB asserts that they do not automatically qualify students for special accommodations during exams unless they significantly impair the student’s ability to take the test under normal conditions.

The main issue, UNEB notes, is that schools are seeking to exploit the special needs category in order to secure additional support for these students, such as extra time during exams. This added time can potentially give the candidates an unfair advantage over their peers, skewing the fairness of the examination system.

Odongo emphasized that UNEB takes this matter very seriously and is committed to thoroughly investigating the matter. The board has vowed to ensure that only candidates with genuine special needs are granted the necessary accommodations. UNEB further intends to strengthen its monitoring systems to prevent such manipulations in the future, safeguarding the fairness of the national examinations.