Leaders in Buvuma islands have petitioned Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) to devise safer and faster means of ferrying final examination papers for candidates in the 52 islands forming the district, than transporting them aboard local wooden fishing boats.
They argued that because examinations are held in the wet month when the sea is very stormy, lives of people escorting the examinations are endangered, and they suggested that marine boats which are swifter and safer be used instead.
The Principal Education Officer, Hussein Bugembe and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Issa Mbooge were on Wednesday inspecting schools that sat Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), on day one of the examinations.
Bugembe reported that one of the UNEB scouts on the way to Kirewe Primary School in Lubya sub-county developed health complications owing to the extreme winds on the deep waters.
He added; “Such and other bad situations can be countered through use of safer boats. As a district, we have sunk sh10m in this arrangement with a top up from UNEB but much remains wanting because there is also need for life jackets for extra safety of people involved.”
Buvuma CAO Issa Mbooge noted that his office has liaised with all stakeholders to ensure that the islands as hard-to-reach areas need close co-operation of stakeholders to ensure successful completion of government programmes, UNEB exams inclusive.
Mbooge observed that if co-operation as joint stakeholders are ignored, when there are shortcomings as a result, we all share the blame equally.
He thanked school heads and parents for ensuring that this time round, although the final report is not yet out, indicators are that most of the learners who registered to write the examinations were in attendance.
At Namunyolo primary school and St. Francis Bubanzi, both government aided, Kyaggwe TV found ready to write their evening paper of Social Studies without any hindrance.
Wadde UCDA Evuddewo, Obwakabaka Tebugenda Kupondooka Ku Mmwanyi-Katikkiro