The 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) opened under controversy after Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) uncovered multiple cheating schemes across the country on the very first day.
Despite increased security and years of campaigns against the vice, examination malpractice continues to stain Uganda’s education system.
More than 800,000 pupils sat for their first papers, but at least seven major malpractice incidents were confirmed.
The cases involved bribery, impersonation, and smuggling of unauthorized materials, with teachers, invigilators, and school administrators among those arrested.
UNEB revealed that while security had prevented early leaks, some schools resorted to bribing invigilators and scouts to help candidates in the examination rooms.
The board reported that some suspects were arrested while others escaped and remain on the run.
In Kampala, four individuals were arrested at Hillside Junior School in Kisugu after photocopied Social Studies answers were found in the exam hall.
Several candidates from a nearby school sitting at the same centre confessed to receiving help during the morning Mathematics paper. The suspects included a UNEB scout, the chief invigilator, and two invigilators.
More arrests followed in Kaliro District, where the head teacher of Budini Boys Primary School and several teachers were detained after pupils admitted receiving assistance.
In Bundibugyo District, UNEB operatives intercepted a plot where teachers posing as cooks and cleaners hid answer sheets in sanitary pads placed in school toilets. The suspects fled when security intervened.
A similar scheme was busted in Lira after the director of Caren Junior School attempted to bribe invigilators to allow external assistance for candidates.
In Kumi District, the chief invigilator at Kumi Primary School was arrested for photocopying Mathematics and Social Studies papers and distributing them to teachers.
The malpractice extended beyond answer leaks. In Kabale, police arrested the head teacher of Rwababa Primary School for blocking a registered candidate from sitting the Mathematics paper over unpaid coaching fees.
Meanwhile, in Kisoro, an invigilator at Seseme Primary School was found with photocopied answer sheets inside the exam room.
Observers link the persistent malpractice to pressure for good grades, low invigilators’ pay, and poor supervision.
While UNEB pays invigilators about Shs 40,000, some schools allegedly offer millions in bribes to secure cheating, viewing strong exam results as key to reputation and enrolment.
Education experts have renewed calls for a shift from the high-stakes national exam to a continuous assessment system, arguing that the current structure fuels desperation among schools and teachers. However, the Ministry of Education has not yet committed to such reforms.
UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule warned that all individuals implicated in the incidents would face prosecution, saying the board is determined to protect the credibility of the examination process.
She added that, aside from the reported cases, the examinations progressed smoothly in most parts of the country, with minor delays caused by early morning rains.
Candidates are expected to continue with Integrated Science and English on Day Two of the examinations. As investigations continue, the question remains whether punitive measures alone can cure malpractice or whether the country must rethink how academic success is measured.
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