Assessment body Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) is reportedly considering allowing Primary Five pupils and Senior Two students to sit national exams in 2022.
If Covid19 had not disrupted learning, learners who were in Primary Five and Senior Two would have sat their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) and Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) papers, respectively, in the year 2022.
While the rules would allow Primary Five learners to sit PLE even without completing their seven years of primary education, Uneb is strict on students completing all the four years of O-level education.
Now, according to local news agency URN, Uneb will allow learners who were in P5 and S2 in 2020 – when the first lockdown was instituted – to sit their national exams.
But the examinations body might ask schools to assess learners who are ready for the candidate class tasks.
The decision, which Uneb is reportedly expected to officially announce soon, is said to be hinged on the argument that learners have been studying via radios and televisions while some in government schools even received printed reading materials.
This would mean more numbers for Uneb since those who were in Primary Six and Senior Three are yet to sit their national exams.
Whether this batch of semi-candidates will be bundled with the P5-S2 lot remains to be seen.
