Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has reported a significant drop in cases of malpractice in the just-released 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results.
According to UNEB, a total of 984 candidates were suspected of involvement in exam malpractice this year, a sharp decline from nearly 3,000 cases recorded in 2023.
UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo attributed the decline to improved security measures, increased awareness among students and teachers, and the nature of the exam questions, which were designed to minimize opportunities for cheating.
However, despite this progress, a concerning trend emerged in the science practical examinations, particularly in Physics.
“Of the 984 suspected cases, 883 (93.1%) were recorded in science subjects, with Physics being the most affected. Only 65 cases (6.9%) were reported in other subjects,” UNEB ED said.
UNEB’s investigations revealed a disturbing pattern that many students were found to have recorded experimental results that did not match their actual work, suggesting external interference.
A total of 10,141 candidates from 1,028 centres registered for the examination of whom 4,369 (43.1%) were males and 5,373 (52.9%) were females.
Out of them 813 (8.0%) are beneficiaries of the USE programme and 8,929 (88.o %) are Non-USE. Of the total number registered, 9,742 (96.1%) sat for the examination (4,369 males and 5,373 females). 399 did not avail themselves the opportunity yet again
