KAMPALA – Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) detectives are investigating reports of leaks in this year’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) and Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams, this website has learnt.
At least three top officials from Uganda national Examinations Board (UNEB) were on Thursday, November 7, grilled in connection with the alleged massive examination leaks that have rocked the body in the previous months.
Their questioning according to sources was in connection with the copies of Mathematics and Social Studies papers that were allegedly leaked on social media on Monday just hours before examination time.
Mr. Charles Twine, the CID spokesman, without revealing their identities confirmed that officials were questioned on their alleged involvement in selling exams online.
This website on Thursday, November 8, 2019, learnt from sources that the latest potential leak was uncovered during an investigation by intelligence at one of top city schools suspected of being the source of PLE papers that were being offered for sale via social media last week.
Police last week held three people for allegedly conning with others to leak PLE examinations. Sources said that the suspects upon interrogation revealed working for the top officials at the examinations body who also work in connection with top schools.
On Sunday this website learnt that police had been called in to investigate another exam leak after some students allegedly had advance sight of some papers.
Police said that they had intensified surveillance to ensure such malpractices if true do not occur.
UNEB Executive Secretary, Mr Daniel Nokrach Odongo, said the fake papers were being sold by unscrupulous individuals purported to be UCE exams in Masaka and Kampala whereas not.
It is not the first time UNEB has had papers leaked.
In previous years including 2017 and 2018, papers apparently appeared for sale online the night before thousands of students sat the exam.
UNEB was also forced to make last-minute changes to two papers in 2017 after receiving reports that some students had gained access to them in advance.
Both leaks were investigated by the police, with evidence passed to the DPP for consideration over whether criminal charges should be brought.
The breach is the latest example of poor security involving lost or stolen papers that have plagued examination boards in recent years, with leaked papers rapidly copied and distributed online.
