A Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) candidate has died after the motorcycle transporting him and two fellow pupils to their examination centre was forced off a poor road in Lira District on Tuesday morning.
The deceased, Joshua Okwir Kaka, was a pupil at Begomary Primary School in Ober Parish, Barr Sub-county. He was travelling with two other candidates to Ober Primary School, where they were scheduled to sit their examinations, when an unidentified vehicle reportedly forced their motorcycle off the road.
The accident occurred about 200 metres from the examination centre along a badly damaged stretch of road.
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Kaka suffered serious injuries and was first taken for treatment at a nearby facility before being referred to the Emergency Unit at Lira Regional Referral Hospital. However, he died shortly after reaching the hospital.
Lira District Inspector of Schools Patrick Olwit confirmed the death and expressed sorrow over the incident.
“Kaka was in a critical condition, so we transferred him to Lira Regional Referral Hospital’s Emergency Unit, but unfortunately, he didn’t make it through. He has passed on,” Olwit said.
The two other candidates also sustained injuries of varying severity.
Joshua Ogwang Oyugi suffered a serious head injury and severe bruising to his arms. He was admitted to Rapa Health Centre and could not sit his examinations.
The third pupil, Kizito Elwa, sustained minor injuries but managed to sit his morning paper after receiving first aid.
“He received first aid and walked into the examination room to sit his paper. He will then be brought back for further medical attention,” Olwit added.
North Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema said he was yet to receive a detailed report from officers at the scene and could not provide further information about the vehicle or the circumstances surrounding the crash.
“I have not yet received full details of the accident and cannot comment on the matter at this time,” Okema said.
Despite the tragedy, education officials reported that PLE examinations began peacefully in other parts of Lira District. More than 790,000 candidates across the country are sitting this year’s examinations, which started on Tuesday, November 3, and are scheduled to end on Wednesday, November 4.
Olwit said no cases of examination malpractice had been reported during the morning sessions, crediting the orderly process to heightened supervision and measures put in place to protect the integrity of the examinations.
In a separate incident at Ateri Primary School, a candidate collapsed while inside the examination room. School officials administered first aid after establishing that the pupil had a pre-existing heart condition. The candidate later stabilised and was able to continue with the examination.
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