In releasing the 2024 Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) results, the board also released the official list of schools whose results have been cancelled due to malpractice.
Education Minister Janet Museveni released the results, and an analysis of the list revealed a shock: a majority of the implicated institutions are religious-based schools spanning various denominations.
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Out of the 73 schools flagged for cheating in the 2024 examinations across the country, the majority belong to the Uganda Muslim Education Association (UMEA), Church of Uganda, the Roman Catholic Church, and other faith-based organizations.
Butambala district, all five schools with cancelled results are faith-based institutions, of which four are Bulo Quran School, Nakatooke UMEA, Kakubo Muslim School, and St. Andrew’s Simba.
A similar trend is identified in Mityana, where schools like Kalangalo RC (Roman Catholic) and Kiggwa CU (Church of Uganda) had their results withheld.
Mayuge district also posted the same content; His Mercy Christian School and St. Kizito Primary School had their exams nullified.
The worrying pattern continued in other districts. This ease of cheating in faith-based schools raises concerns about integrity in religious institutions and the broader education system.
An anonymous Kampala resident, expressed horror over the revelations, questioning the integrity of faith-based schools.
“It’s shocking that schools, which should be the very pillars of ethics and morality, are instead fueling exam malpractice. These institutions are meant to instill integrity in students, yet they are the ones leading in dishonesty,” said Mukisa.
However, the director of education services at the provincial secretariat of the Church of Uganda, Rev. Canon Dr Paul Kakooza, distanced the institution from exam malpractice, reaffirming its commitment to ethical education.
“In most cases, we simply receive personnel posted to us by the government. We are not responsible for molding them into who they become,” Rev Kakooza explains that the government assigns teachers and school administrators to their schools, the Church has little influence over their training and conduct.
He emphasized that exam cheating contradicts the Church’s core values and educational philosophy, and reinforced that when evidence of malpractice arises, the Church acts swiftly, enforcing its strict zero-tolerance policy.
According to Uneb, malpractice was widespread, affecting a total of 27 districts. This was confirmed following thorough investigations that led to the withholding of examination results from multiple schools across the country.
In total, UNEB cancelled the examinations of 3,513 learners. That as it is, concerns have been raised over the omission of several schools from Uneb’s list of implicated institutions, despite reports of malpractice during the examinations.
For instance, multiple schools where teachers were caught writing answers on chalkboards, some of whom were arrested and charged, are notably absent from the list.
This loud omission raises questions about the criteria used to determine which schools faced penalties.
Uneb officials have yet to explain or verify the criteria. However, the board, with the assistance of police, usually conducts investigations before taking action.
Suspected culprits, including headteachers, teachers, learners, examination officers, district education officers, and local government officials, are summoned before the UNEB security committee for a fair hearing. Based on the findings, the committee then decides whether to cancel the examinations or take other disciplinary measures.
Kyenjojo district had the highest number of affected schools, with exams from eight schools cancelled. Mityana followed with seven, while Bundibugyo had six. Butambala, Kygegwa, and Kagadi each had five schools implicated in exam malpractice.
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