Kasese District Directorate of Education has expressed concern over the large number of Primary Education Leaving Examination (PLE) candidates who missed their mock exams.

Mr Selevest Baluku, acting district superintendent of schools, disclosed that although the district registered 12,751 candidates for the 2024 PLE, only 8,817 candidates appeared for the mock exams. “We have registered 12,751 candidates for this year’s PLE and that is the number we expect to take part in trial assessments.

However, 3,934 candidates did not participate in the trial exams. The question is, why didn’t they show up?” Mr. Baluku asked. He noted that absenteeism in trial exams had occurred in previous years as well, but there was a significant increase this year.

While only 271 out of 11,502 candidates missed the trial exams in 2023, 963 out of 12,316 candidates missed the exams in 2022. Baluku said that with the PLE starting on Wednesday, school authorities should ensure that students who missed the mock exams take the PLE. He called on school principals to work with local leaders to find families of missing students and encourage them to take part in the exams.

“We are very concerned, we have already tasked school principals to work closely with parents and locate these students,” he said.

Baluku also revealed that some students missed mock exams due to lack of support from parents who were unable to provide basic needs such as school supplies or pay the necessary agreed-upon fees.

Mr Eric Meso, head teacher of Kabatunda Primary School in Kabatunda-Kirabaho Municipal Council, North Busongora District, reported that four out of 192 candidates missed their mock exams. The school, which enrolls 1,062 students, found that some parents were unaware of the fake program.