Five Teachers, Two Students Face Legal Action Over Exam Malpractice

One of the students reportedly used artificial intelligence to retrieve an essay, while the other accessed summarized notes stored on her phone.

Police in Kira Division have detained five teachers and two students in separate incidents involving suspected examination malpractice during the ongoing Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) sessions.

Two female students from Masaka Hall were caught in possession of smartphones during the afternoon Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examination session.

One of the students reportedly used artificial intelligence to retrieve an essay, while the other accessed summarized notes stored on her phone.

Both students now face disciplinary action and potential legal charges for breaching UNEB’s regulations on unauthorized materials in examination rooms.

UNEB’s Principal Public Relations Officer, Jennifer Kalule-Musamba, emphasized the organization’s commitment to preserving the credibility of Uganda’s national examinations.

Under this year’s theme, "Embracing Security and Holistic Assessment of Learners in a Dynamic Environment," UNEB has intensified security measures and reinforced the importance of honest academic assessment.

These recent incidents spotlight the board's broader concerns about the misuse of technology in examination settings.

In a separate incident, five teachers have been apprehended on charges of possessing unauthorized UNEB Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) materials.

The group, identified as Ramathan Mugaga Male, 24, Ronald Tumuhimbise, 40, Nelson Otai, 31, Richard Katamba, 40, and Tom Kimanje, 30, is accused of distributing suspected exam content via social media platforms, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

The materials included papers for Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English, which were allegedly read aloud to students at Kisoso Primary School in Kimanya, Masaka City, before the exams were administered.

The five teachers are scheduled to appear before the Kiira Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, November 12.

Police have also launched a search for the director of Kisoso Primary School, who is believed to have received the shared content but remains at large.

Authorities suspect the director may have been involved in orchestrating the operation, adding another layer to the investigation.