Uneb Investigates Schools Registering "Normal" Pupils as Special Needs Candidates

The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) is currently investigating several schools across the country that have allegedly registered normal students under the Special Needs Education (SNE) category for the 2024 exams. 

The investigation comes after Uneb discovered that some schools have been manipulating the system by registering healthy students as special needs candidates to give them an unfair advantage during the exams. 

This issue was disclosed by Prof Celestino Obua, Chairperson of Uneb, who described the practice as a "unique form of malpractice." Uneb has pledged to thoroughly investigate the matter and take appropriate action against the schools involved.

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For years, Uneb has conducted special registration for SNE candidates in various categories, including the deaf, blind, those with low vision, the physically disabled, dyslexics, and “others” with health complications. However, Uneb executive director Dan Odongo revealed that some schools have been abusing the "Others" category. The "Others" category was specifically introduced to accommodate students with health conditions like asthma, epilepsy, and sickle cell anaemia that may cause attacks during exams, allowing them to receive extra time (45 minutes) to complete their papers. 

However, these students do not require any specialized assistance. Odongo noted that some schools have been using this category to register high-performing students to benefit from the extra time, thus gaining an unfair advantage in the exams.

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Godlive Baguma, a primary school teacher, said that although Uneb has just discovered this malpractice, it has been happening for years. He explained that some schools worry that their brightest students need extra time to concentrate and perform better.  "Sometimes, bright students panic under time pressure, but when they are assured of an additional 45 minutes, they can focus and even review their work," he said. Baguma also added that there is a misconception among schools that SNE candidates are not as strictly marked as regular students, which may serve as another avenue for manipulation. 

Another teacher interviewed noted that while some students may be legitimately registered under the "Others" category, schools have been going further by registering these students in other categories, such as deaf or hard of hearing. 

Uneb has yet to independently verify these claims as candidates in such categories are subject to additional tests. However, Prof Obua admitted the fact that this malpractice may have been happening for years without detection. He described it as a form of pre-examination fraud and assured the public that the board, along with its legal team, would decide how to address and prevent such issues moving forward, including possible sanctions for those involved.

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In 2024, Uneb registered 3,328 SNE candidates, a 25.5 percent increase from the 2,652 registered in 2023. The growth reflects increased awareness among schools about inclusive education and the efforts of both Uneb and the Ministry of Education and Sports. Of the registered candidates, 47.9% were female, while 52.1% were male. 

Despite the increase in numbers, 48 candidates did not sit the exams. Analysis of the results showed significant improvement, with the majority of SNE candidates achieving Division 2 (51.5%). 

The deaf, who have historically performed poorly, also saw improvement. For instance, nearly half of the deaf students were ungraded in 2023, but this number decreased, with 215 deaf students graded and only 66 remaining ungraded.

According to data from the World Bank and Unicef, approximately 16% of children in Uganda—around 2.5 million—live with some form of disability. However, only 5% of these children have access to inclusive education, while 10% attend special schools.