In a move to ensure the smooth conduct of the Uganda Certificate of Education exams (S.4 exams), the Ministry of Education has instructed schools not to bar students with outstanding fees from taking their exams. UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule confirmed the successful commencement of the S.4 exams in various examination centers across the country.
Complaints were received by the Ministry from parents who reported that their children had been prevented from sitting for exams due to unpaid school fees. In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the director for basic education, Ismail Mulindwa, issued a directive to schools. This directive stipulates that all candidates, including those with unpaid fees, must be allowed to participate in the ongoing exams. However, UNEB will withhold the exam results until the outstanding fees are paid in full.
Last week, Dan Odongo, the UNEB Executive Director, urged school heads and directors to exhibit empathy by permitting candidates with unpaid fees to take their exams. He emphasized that school centers should refrain from removing candidates from the examination rooms during the course of the exam due to fee issues. The board will work with schools to implement measures to help them recover the outstanding fees even after a candidate has completed their examination.
Parents were encouraged to address any issues regarding school fee balances with school authorities early on to prevent any inconvenience to candidates as a result of unpaid fees. UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule also stated that schools could later provide details of candidates with unpaid fees, allowing the withholding of results until these arrears are cleared. Schools are advised to have parents and candidates sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the payment of fee balances while still allowing them to sit for exams.
