Written By | Joshua Nahamya
RDC Emmy Ngabirano had no kind words for the lazy teachers who absent themselves from school
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BUSHENYI
Bushenyi District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Phionah Sanyu, has warned primary school head teachers against registering poor performance and Grade X candidates in the upcoming 2026 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), saying school administrators will be held accountable for candidate attendance and academic performance.
Speaking during a district stakeholders' meeting held at the start of the second school term, Sanyu emphasized that all registered Primary Seven candidates must sit their final examinations as preparations begin for mock exams ahead of the November PLE.
The directive follows concerns after 66 registered candidates failed to sit the 2025 PLE examinations, resulting in Grade X outcomes.
“Head teachers must find out why these pupils never sat for the exams and submit reports to my office immediately,” Sanyu said.
“School heads who register pupils but fail to follow up on their attendance—or fail to report their absence—will be held personally responsible. Every registered candidate must sit exams to avoid Grade X this year.”
Head Teachers attending an induction at Bushenyi District hall to improve on school performance
However, the directive drew criticism from some stakeholders.
Veteran journalist and education advocate Paul Ariho questioned whether head teachers should shoulder full responsibility for absentee candidates.
“Grade X happens when candidates register but fail to turn up for examinations. We must first understand why learners miss exams instead of shifting all blame to head teachers,” Ariho argued.
Crackdown on Teacher Absenteeism
Bushenyi District Education Officer (DEO), Williams Ahabwe, revealed that many public schools have abandoned the use of Teacher Effectiveness and Learner Attendance (TELA) phones supplied by government to monitor teacher attendance and lesson delivery.
In response, Sanyu directed all head teachers to reactivate the digital monitoring system immediately.
Head Teachers at Bushenyi District hall
RDC Warns Schools Over Illegal Boarding Sections
Bushenyi Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Emmy Ngabirano, warned schools against operating unauthorized boarding sections under the guise of candidate preparation.
He said schools must meet safety and registration requirements before accommodating learners overnight.
Ngabirano also cautioned schools against sending away pupils over unpaid fees in Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools.
“Where government provides UPE funding, no child should be chased from school. Every child deserves access to affordable education,” he said.
Mixed Performance Despite Strong Results
Bushenyi maintained its position among Uganda’s top-performing districts during the 2025 PLE results.
District statistics show that out of all candidates who sat examinations:
Parental Care Nursery and Primary School emerged among the district’s best-performing institutions.
Out of 120 registered candidates, all sat examinations, with 112 scoring Division One and eight obtaining Division Two.
The school also produced the district’s only two Aggregate 4 candidates.
CAO Sanyu Phionah warning Head Teachers on Primary results
UNEB Withholds Results From Six Schools
Despite strong overall performance, the district continues to face challenges after the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) withheld results from at least six schools over suspected examination malpractice.
Among the affected institutions were Busy Bee Junior School in Ishaka Division, where all 38 candidates had results withheld, and Buhimba Primary School in Kyabugimbi Sub-county, where only 39 out of 86 candidates received results.
The disruptions have affected learner turnout. At Buhimba Primary School, deputy head teacher Jenipher Kyomukama said only 150 out of 647 learners had reported back during the opening week.
“Some parents remain worried about the withheld results, while others are struggling financially,” she explained.
DEO Ahabwe confirmed that affected administrators and candidates had been summoned by UNEB to defend themselves.
District leaders say tighter monitoring systems, stronger accountability measures, and improved teacher supervision will be key to sustaining Bushenyi’s performance ahead of the 2026 national examinations.
Torch Media Africa
