BREAKING: Trio Arrested in Oyam for Attempting to Bribe UNEB Scout Ahead of PLE Exams
Three individuals, including the director and headteacher of Atura Community Day Primary School in Oyam, have been arrested for allegedly attempting to bribe a Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) scout in a bid to gain early access to Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) papers.
The suspects—George Odongo, the school director; Simon Ekut, a former teacher at the school; and Awoko Lavoiser, a teacher at St. Gracious Primary School in Lira City—were caught offering Shs 1 million to a UNEB scout who had been deployed to supervise the exams in Oyam District.
UNEB Executive Director, Dan Odongo, confirmed that the trio was arrested after security personnel received a tip-off regarding the bribe. The suspects were detained at Garden Hotel in Lira.
“The director of Atura Community Day Primary contacted the UNEB scout with the intention of bribing him to give teachers access to exam papers before the official start of the examinations,” Odongo said. “We acted quickly, arrested the suspects, and recovered the Shs 1 million, which will be presented as evidence.”
Severe Consequences for Exam Malpractice
Section 26(1)(g) of the UNEB Act stipulates that anyone found guilty of examination malpractice faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to Shs 20 million, or both. UNEB has consistently ramped up its efforts to prevent exam leakages, but attempts to undermine the system, such as bribing officials, continue to be a problem.
UNEB has already detected similar bribery schemes in other parts of the country, including Kayunga, Gomba, Buyende, and areas of Greater Kampala, prompting heightened security measures across the nation.
Dan Odongo warned educators against attempting to manipulate the exam process: “We have done our part by providing quality education. Now it is time for the children to take their exams fairly. Any involvement in malpractice will result in severe consequences, including the cancellation of exam results.”
With the exams set to begin on Monday, UNEB has confirmed that the nationwide distribution of examination materials has been completed without major incidents, despite the challenges posed by floods in districts like Katakwi, Otuke, and Alebtong. Authorities have made arrangements to ensure all candidates in affected areas can sit their exams in alternative venues.
A total of 817,885 candidates are registered for this year’s PLE, an increase of 2.5% from last year. Among them are 61 inmates from Upper Prison School in Luzira and 3,644 candidates with special needs.
Authorities are on high alert as they work to ensure that the exams go smoothly, with the first paper, Mathematics, set to begin on Monday.
