By Jane Nambi

The Minister of education, Jessica Alupo has given a directive to the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) to withdraw the center number of schools who continually cheat.

Ms. Alupo gave the order while declaring the O’level results of 2012 officially released. “I direct UNEB to withdraw the center numbers of schools which have persistently cheated,” Ms. Alupo said.

A total of 1,197 students’ results were withheld due to cheating. These students belonged to 28 schools countrywide which shows a decline in examination malpractice. Some of the schools whose examinations were withheld as investigations into whether they really cheated or not are going on, include Trinity High School, St. Noah Mawagali, Kinoni High School, Mivule SS, among others.

The poor performance has been attributed to student laziness, students being involved in love affairs and poor time management, according to the UNEB chairman, Fagil Mandy.