UNEB Left in Disarray After Teachers Run Away From Marking 2024 Papers

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has been left in disarray after teachers who have been marking the 2024 papers ran away from their jobs.

Through a statement issued on social media, UNEB confirmed that some teachers indeed left the different marking centres. This is after they failed to agree on the payment structure. However, the national examination body assured the public that marking of papers is going on as planned.

According to UNEB, 7000 examiners were contracted to mark the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams. These were to mark both the new curriculum and the transitional exams (old curriculum). Marking was scheduled to start on the 13th of December but examiners of the Physics and Agriculture papers declined to commence citing low pay.

Despite efforts to have them accept the adjusted payments, they declined and left. However, not all of them left as some agreed to go ahead and mark. UNEB further said that about 100 examiners of the Physics paper and 59 of the Agriculture exam walked away but this won’t hinder the exercise according to the body.

Below is the Full Statement:-

“The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) would like to assure the public that although some examiners left the marking centres after a disagreement on payment, the marking at all Examination Marking Centres is continuing smoothly as planned.

The Board contracted seven thousand examiners to mark the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) scripts for both the New curriculum and the Transitional/Old Curriculum Examinations this year. Senior Examiners reported on November 30th for Coordination with subject Officers. The rest of the Examiners reported on December 6th to the 14 marking centres for further coordination and preparations for effective marking.

Actual marking was slated to start on December 13th. However, on that day, two groups of Examiners for Physics and Agriculture theory papers declined to start the exercise because they were not satisfied with the payment rate. This was despite efforts to negotiate with them, and the explanation that Management had already considered the dynamics of the new curriculum and made some adjustments in accordance with the available resources.

While some examiners objected to the adjusted rates, majority accepted and marking started effectively at all the Centres. About 100 out of over 400 Examiners of Physics walked out of the Marking Centre, while 59 quit marking Agriculture. Their departure however will not have a major impact on the exercise. Marking is therefore going on smoothly for all the subjects and papers under the new curriculum as originally planned.

The Board is grateful to the over 6,800 Examiners who have exhibited the spirit of patriotism and understanding in this national cause of marking the first cohort of candidates for the New Lower Secondary Curriculum (NLSC).”