A 49-year-old primary school teacher who was serving as a transcriber for a candidate with special needs during the 2026 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) has been remanded to Kauga Prison until November 11 over alleged examination malpractice.
Juliet Mwesigwa, a resident of Butabira village in Buikwe district, appeared before Mukono chief magistrate Paul Matyama. She is accused of smuggling unauthorised papers containing answers to the Mathematics paper into an examination room.
She denied the charge of examination malpractice, contrary to Section 26 of the National Examination Board Act, 2021. Prosecutors allege that on November 3, 2026, she entered the examination room at Victorious Primary School in Nakapinyi North, Nama sub-county, Mukono district, with papers bearing answers to the Mathematics paper.
Senior resident state attorney Emily Ninsima told the court that investigations were still ongoing and asked for an adjournment. Mwesigwa was not asked to take a plea on bail, and she remains in custody until the next hearing.
National examinations such as the PLE determine pupils’ progression to secondary school. Their credibility depends on candidates being assessed on their own knowledge and ability, under arrangements that give no one an unfair advantage.
The headteacher of Victorious Primary School, identified only as Christine, was contacted for comment but said she was not aware of the incident.
It remains unclear how the papers allegedly containing the answers were obtained, how they got into the examination room, and whether other people were involved. Authorities have not said whether the incident is linked to wider examination malpractice.