The Ministry of Education has said that a total of 1170 absentees missed the ongoing 2018 secondary school leaving national exams.

The absentees include 855 candidates for O-Level and 315 A-Level candidates.

The urban districts of Nyarugenge, Gasabo and Kicukiro have the highest number of A-Level candidates who missed exams. Private candidates are the most irregular candidates, the ministry said.

Isaac Munyakazi, the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, said the absenteeism was due to the fact that some students were ill while others had issues with their respective schools.

He also noted that minor cases such as delays by students to reach the examination centres, especially day scholars who missed induction day that was reserved for examinations briefing, were also recorded.

 "No more cases recorded except the delays of students which we managed to solve on time. The candidates who got sick in the midst of the exams were taken to hospital,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said that Ecole Technique SOS in Kinyinya Sector in Gasabo District, a director of the centre was replaced after flouting the rules and regulations of the exams.

"At Ecole Technique SOS, there was a case where two candidates were sitting together yet they were going to do the same exam. This happened early morning as the Minister for Education was launching the start of the exams. Immediately, the director of the centre was replaced,” he added.

Commissioner of Police John Bosco Kabera, the Police Spokesperson, said that, generally, the exams had started smoothly countrywide.

"All sites are well secured 24 hours across the country. Policemen were deployed and they are on duty during both day and night to ensure the smooth running of the exams,” he said.

Kabera added that, together with invigilators and directors of the examination centres, the police are working hard to avoid any incidence that can interrupt the ongoing exams.

The 2018 national examinations were launched on Tuesday and will run through November 27 for O-Level candidates and November 30 for A-Level candidates.

A total of 14, 3551 secondary school candidates, including 46,653 for Advanced Level and 96,898 for Ordinary Level, are sitting this year’s national examinations.

 Countrywide, there are 447 examination centres across the country for O-Level candidates while there are 381 centres for A-Level candidates, while practical exams will be carried out from 243 centres.

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