Uneb speaks on preparations for 2020 examinations, rift with education ministry officials

Assessment body Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has responded to questions raised on its readiness to conduct 2020 Primary, O-level and A-level examinations after it emerged schools would reopen soon.

Although, the Ministry of Education and Sports is yet to officially announce school reopening dates, a plan to have candidates in primary and secondary schools, as well as final year students in higher learning institutions has already been agreed on.

The question many have put to Uneb is how prepared it is to conduct national exams when schools reopen.

Normally, candidates would sit for their end of level exams starting October.

But schools closed their gates in March to prevent the spread of Covid19, since President Yoweri Museveni rightly listed them among mass concentration institutions.

That means pupils and students have missed part of first term and the whole of second term.

According to sources, the education ministry has agreed on a reopening plan that would see resumption of candidate classes in September or early October, with what would be third term counted as second term.

Here’s how academic calendar, learning environment will change when schools reopen

But what’s Uneb’s plan for national exams.

According to the assessment body’s executive secretary Dan Odongo, Uneb has consistently told those asking about their preparedness for examinations that “Uneb will not make any comments on how ready it is to conduct the examinations, or even when the examinations would be done until there is an official communication from either H.E the president or the Hon Minister of Education and Sports on the reopening of schools.”

Odongo has also dismissed reports that this position means a clash with the ministry of education officials.

“Uneb is proceeding with its preparations to conduct national examinations at an appropriate time, and in accordance with a revised School calendar, which will be published by the Ministry of Education and Sports when schools reopen,” he added.