State Minister for Higher Education Dr John C Muyingo has apologised to the country over the recent disruptions in national examinations, assuring parents and candidates that the errors recorded were minimal and that corrective measures had already been implemented.
Speaking at the NRM Secretariat in Kampala during a press conference about the gains achieved in the Education Sector by the ruling NRM Government, the minister urged the public not to panic, saying Uganda National Examinations Board-UNEB’s work remains credible despite the slight setback.
“I am sorry for what happened,” Muyingo said in reference to the Chemistry and Physics practicals that caused widespread concern.
Muyingo said these are small errors and they have since put the system right.
“It’s not true that there are many errors, only four,” said Muyingo. “And do you know how big the volume of work UNEB is handling? To have only four errors, we need to congratulate them.”
Muyingo’s apology followed a week of anxiety after UNEB issued an urgent directive on the morning of the UACE chemistry practical instructing schools to scale down reagent volumes. Centres had discovered that the reagents labelled as unknowns in exam language failed to produce the expected quantities once dissolved. The problem surfaced just as candidates prepared to start the paper, prompting UNEB to send new instructions reducing the volume per candidate.
The circular, signed by UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo later on required schools to issue 55 cm³ of FA2 and 55 cm³ of FA3 instead of the original 100 cm³.
Schools with large candidate numbers immediately realised the reagents would not suffice, prompting urgent communication with the board. The adjustment caused delays, with the first groups losing about an hour before they could begin the examination.
The Chemistry disruption came shortly after another incident during the UCE physics practical, when schools across the country struggled to obtain the 10-centimetre focal lens specified by UNEB. Many laboratories lacked the item, suppliers could not meet demand and teachers scrambled to borrow or improvise, minutes before candidates entered the labs.
However, despite this, Muyingo has urged the public to keep calm and reaffirmed confidence in UNEB. He emphased that the board’s workload grows each year and said the four recorded errors should be viewed in that context.
“I don’t want to put the public into panic; these are not worrying errors,” said Muyingo.
The minister also addressed concerns about deteriorating school infrastructure after images circulated showing classrooms taken over by ant hills and others damaged by flooding. He said he had visited several of the schools with a full team of engineers and inspectors, and that a comprehensive technical report had been prepared for the ministry’s top management. He encouraged parents to visit local schools to better appreciate the improvements underway and understand the challenges still being addressed.
Muyingo used the briefing to detail what he called significant progress in fulfilling the NRM government’s 2021–2026 commitments to transform the education and sports sectors. He has revealed that the construction of 259 new secondary schools in subcounties that previously had none, surpassed government’s original target of 258.
Additional schools are being constructed in refugee-hosting districts, while major rehabilitation works are underway in traditional secondary schools, special needs institutions and teacher training colleges.
The minister said millions of textbooks have been distributed to both primary and secondary schools, and that the government has operationalised 201 secondary schools and extended support to community schools through grants, recruitment of teachers and provision of science equipment and ICT tools.
According to the Minister, there has been major improvements in school inspection, including a biometric attendance system that has raised teacher presence from 50 percent to 70 percent and expanded inspection coverage nationwide. Government has enhanced salaries for science teachers, constructed hundreds of staff houses and plans to begin phased salary enhancement for arts teachers in 2026.
Muyingo said the competency-based curriculum is equipping learners with practical and entrepreneurial skills, while upgrades in technical and vocational institutions have transformed sixteen TVET colleges into centres of excellence in specialised fields such as petroleum engineering, manufacturing, construction and road maintenance.
He added that higher education has expanded through scholarships and the Students’ Loan Scheme, and that construction of a Gulu University constituent college in Karamoja is progressing in a bid to transform educational and economic landscape of one of the country’s most underserved areas.
As of now, records by the Ministry of Education indicate that a total of 786.4 Acres of land were successfully acquired for the Gulu University Constituent College of in Karamoja.
“All project affected persons were fully compensated, ensuring compliance with environmental and social safeguards. Construction of a multipurpose building valued at UGX 39.9Bn is underway by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC),” said Muyingo.
That Government is also revamping Busoga University and Mountain of the Moon University and working on establishing a new public university in Bunyoro. On this, he noted that land measuring approximately 98 acres has been secured at Buhimba Kikuube District to establish the university and 18 Academic Programs have been cleared by National Council for Higher Education and physical plans are pending approval by relevant government programs.
On the part of Busoga University, the Education Minister stated that 29 billion shillings has already been allocated to facilitate the operations of the Task Force for the establishment of the University and that 15 land titles have been secured totaling approximately 150 acres.
0n sports, he reported significant progress in renovating Mandela National Stadium, constructing regional stadiums in Hoima and Arua and upgrading training grounds ahead of AFCON 2027.
Accordingly, Muyingo has reaffirmed government’s commitment to building a modern, inclusive and resilient education system. He urged Ugandans to recognise the visible gains in their communities and reiterated his regret over the recent examination disruptions. “We shall continue to transform Uganda into a nation where every child can learn, innovate and succeed,” he said.
Speaking at the same occasion, the NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja asked the Ugandans to look around their communities and see the changes made in the Education sector especially on infrastructure development of building schools, and that it is such gains that they need to protect as the country goes to the polls next year.
SOURCE: Uganda Radio Network
