Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee made the recommendation.
Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has recommended the establishment of a UNEB Centre in Burundi in order to reduce the costs of transporting learners from Burundi to Uganda and the psychological strain the lengthy movements have on learners sitting for exams.
The call was made by Gabriel Okumu (Okoro County) while presenting a report by the committee following complaints raised by MPs on the need for the government to establish a national examination center in Burundi for the learners studying under the Ugandan curriculum who are forced to make the lengthy trips to sit for exams in Uganda.
“The Ministry of Education and Sports, in collaboration with the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should engage the Government of Burundi through diplomatic channels to negotiate and formalize the establishment of a UNEB Center in Burundi. This will reduce the financial burden and psychological strain on the learners traveling to Uganda for exams and encourage more schools in Burundi to adopt the Ugandan curriculum,” Okumu noted.
Learners in Bujumbura studying the Ugandan curriculum are required to travel to Uganda to sit for UNEB examinations. This arrangement is not only costly but also causes psychological strain on the children.
They often travel one of two days before the exams. They arrive when they are fatigued, and it requires. It requires them to settle down before they sit for final examinations. We also recommended that the Ministry of Education and Sports, through the Embassy in Burundi, work closely with schools, teaching the Ugandan curriculum to ensure they meet the requirements of establishing a UNEB Centre, including the required staff and adhering to the Ugandan standard.
