Uganda: UBTEB cancels exams of 94 candidates over malpractice

The Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) has cancelled results of 94 candidates, who sat for their exams in November and December 2022, over alleged involvement in malpractices.
Mr Onesmus oyesigye, the Executive Secretary of the board, said this was done in accordance with section 9(3) of the UBTEB Regulations that bar learners from engaging in malpractices.
“I commend the examination management team for their strict vigilance and I urge them to minimize cases of malpractice by thoroughly checking candidates before entering the examination rooms,” Mr Oyesigye said at the release of the exams yesterday at the President’s Office, Kampala.
In the same vein, Ms Janet Museveni, the Minister of Education and Sports, who was represented by state minister for higher education, Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, strongly condemned the vice.
“This is a bad vice especially in skills training and should be fought by everyone, including the candidates themselves, the parents, the training providers and the general public,” Ms Museveni noted.
The results released include candidates who completed their studies in the Technical National Certificate-Modular, Advanced Craft, Uganda Community Polytechnic-Modular, Business Diploma programmes and Business Certificate programmes and Physical and Biological Diploma and Certificate programmes.
Performance
Out of the total of 72,247 candidates (21,641 female and 50,606 male) who registered for end of programme and modular assessments, 66,954 (92.7%), turned up for examination while 5,293(7.3%) were absent in one or more modules. 34,736 (48%) registered for end of module assessment and 37511(52%) for end of programme examination.
The executive secretary revealed that the number of female candidates registering for examinations has continued to increase from 4,732 in 2020 to 12,037 in 2022
The increase is attributed to continued advocacy for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) skills, introduced system of modularized assessment, the awakening of citizens towards vocational skills acquisition and change in admissions criteria which prioritizes the desire of the applicant to pursue a course of interest rather than the grades obtained at lower levels of education.
Mr Oyesigye also said that the board has registered a reduction in the enrollment of some programs such as leather Tanning and production, Wood work Technology, Boat building Technology and Marine Mechanics, painting, decoration and Agrometeorology.
Subject performances
The completion rates of most programmes were very good, with over 70 percent and all candidates who pursued diploma programmes passed.
The general registration for examinations for Technical Advanced craft programme results improved by 4.9% from 159 in 2020 to 172 in 2022. Out of 172 candidates who registered for this programme, 122 (70%) turned up for examinations and out of these, 75.4 percent acquired the competence required programmes compared to 74 percent in 2020.
Candidates scoring distinction also improved from 13 percent in 2020 to 32.2 percent in 2022.
In the Technical National Certificate End of programme, the number of registered candidate also improved from 11,747 in 2020 to 16,961 in 2022.
The completion rate also improved from 74 per cent in 2020 to 76.3 per cent, while for most individual programmes the completion rates are above 70 per cent.
The number of candidates who scored distinction improved from 2 per cent in 2020 to 16.2 percent in 2022.
The certificate in Leather tanning and production machining and fitting, and Certificate in painting and decoration completion rates were worst performed with very low completion rates of 54.8 percent and 62.5 percent respectively.
The Technical National Certificate Modular Assessment performance was good with general modular completion rate of 76.2 per cent.
In Uganda Community Polytechnic Certificate-End of programme, the general completion rate stands at 87.1 per cent whereas in Business Diploma-End of programmes, the completion rate stands at 82.3 percent, a 10.3 per cent performance improvement compared to November- December 2020.
 In Business Certificate programmes, the overall completion rate stood at 76.6 percent, with the rising turn up of 80.6 percent. The distinction rate stood at 13.8 per cent and credit at 60.7 per cent.
In physical and Biological science diploma and certificate programmes, the overall completion rate stood at 75 percent.
Mr Oyesigye has appealed to the government to increase the budget of the board to support the implementation of TVET (Technical Vocational and Education Training) reforms as enshrined in the TVET policy 2019 through modularization of skills assessment, staff capacity building, to re-align assessment to the needs of the world of work.
“There is a need by the ministry of education and sports and other development partners to provide support for ICT equipment and internet in public and private TVET providers to match with the digital world.
Ms Janet Museveni appealed to the UBTEB Management to deliver TVET that is Employed-led, saying that it will enable the country to achieve her dream of raising a critical mass of artisans and technicians to support industrial growth and development.
The minister also pledged to work together with the board to complete the construction of their assessment center.
“As a ministry, we are very committed to streamlining the TVET system from curriculum Development through delivery to Assessment. We have introduced the TVET management information system for registration of all TVET stakeholders so as to provide relevancy of training programmes to the world of work,”
She added that her ministry is also streamlining the laws and regulations on TVET and undergoing restructuring.