BY MATHIUS KAHUNGU
Primary Leaving Examinations have today successfully begun across all the centres in Kasese district despite the recent machete wielding attacks on security installations.
Last weekend, the residents of Kasese Municipality and Rugendabara- Kikongo Town Council were woken up by gunshots as the security forces battled with the panga wielding attackers who had invaded Kasese Central Barracks and Rugendabara Police Post in Busongora County North.
A mini-survey conducted by Messiah Radio indicated that the primary seven candidates woke up today morning in big numbers and thronged their respective examination centres to answer their end of cycle national examinations.
At Rugendabara Primary School situated in Rugendabara-Kikongo Town Council where some attackers were put out of action in the proximity of the school, a total of 95 out of 96 candidates turned up to sit for their examinations.
According to Joash Maate Kitikolyo, the school’s Head teacher, says he believes the decision taken by his male candidate to shun the examination, could be as a result of the weekend’s insurgency that engulfed the area coupled with the alleged negligence of the parents.
He observed the need for the security operatives to heighten security in the area in order for the examinations to end peacefully and successfully.
Mr. Kitikolyo also appealed to the leaders in the area to intervene through sensitizing the parents to understand the value of education.
At Kitswamba I Primary School in Kitswamba Town councilthat also hosts the candidates from Kitswamba Muslim Primary school, out of 82 registered candidates, 79 sat for their examinations.
For Kitswamba Muslim Primary School registered with 21 registered candidates, only one female candidate was absent.
Esther Natukunda, the Kitswamba I Primary School Head teacher revealed that two of the three absentees dropped out of school and ran to Kampala to look for jobs as housemaids and one is alleged to have been married off.
She encouraged the community members to stop tolerating cases of early marriages and advised the parents to always provide some basic needs to their school going children in attempt to keep them in school.
In Kilembe and Sub-county sub-counties, the examinations started late as a result of delayed delivery of examination materials to the centres.
Ernest Bwambale Thabugha, the Kasese District Education Officer, revealed that the delay resulted from mudslides that had blocked the roads, making it hard to access the examination centres.
ENDS