Deputy Headteacher, Invigilators Arrested Over PLE Cheating

The deputy headteacher and director of studies of Homesdallen Primary School in Kamwokya, Kampala, have been arrested alongside two invigilators and an impersonator who allegedly posed as a Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) scout for facilitating examination malpractice during the first day of the 2026 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).

UNEB Principal Public Relations Officer Jennifer Kalule-Musamba said the five suspects were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly providing external assistance to candidates by supplying answers and other support from outside the examination rooms. Kalule-Musamba said most cases of examination malpractice reported this year, including the incident at Homesdallen Primary School, had been uncovered through information provided by members of the public acting as whistleblowers.

She commended the public for their vigilance and cooperation in protecting the integrity of national examinations. “We urge the public to continue reporting any suspicious activity. Their tips have been critical in uncovering these networks,” Kalule-Musamba said. In a separate incident, three people were arrested at Prince Junior School in Gayaza, Wakiso District. 

They included the school’s director and acting headteacher, Hajjat Lazia Nasanga; mathematics teacher Mulindwa; and UNEB scout Margaret Nankabirwa, who had been deployed from Kayunga District. According to Kalule-Musamba, Nasanga allegedly colluded with Nankabirwa to open a sealed examination envelope, remove an examination paper, and hand it to the teacher to prepare a marking guide and answers for candidates.

The three suspects were subsequently taken to Kasangati Police Station. At Ndagaro Primary School in Rubirizi District, another UNEB scout, Kasango Bumaali, was arrested for allegedly photographing an examination paper after its delivery and sharing the images. In Butaleja District, a scout deployed at Mango Grove Junior School in Busolwe was found with examination papers in his pockets and remains in police custody as investigations continue. He is suspected of having supplied answers to two candidates.

The arrests point to a shift in the methods used by individuals seeking to compromise national examinations. Over the years, UNEB has tightened examination security and closed several traditional avenues previously used to leak examination papers. The measures include sealing internal leakage channels, strengthening the distribution of examination materials, and assigning random numbers to candidates to eliminate internal marking fraud.

With these controls in place, some schools and examination officials have reportedly resorted to providing external assistance, including supplying answers and coaching candidates from outside examination rooms. Under the UNEB Act, Cap 259, individuals found guilty of examination malpractice, including providing external assistance, collusion, impersonation or unauthorised possession of examination materials, face up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of Shs40 million or both.

Invigilators and scouts found guilty of negligence risk up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of Shs20 million. Previous convictions have demonstrated the courts’ tough stance on examination malpractice. In April 2026, 15 teachers and education officials implicated in a major 2025 PLE malpractice scheme in Kassanda District were each sentenced to one year in prison. The group included the District Inspector of Schools and the director of Nkoba Primary School, who were implicated in opening and sharing examination materials before the official starting time.