As primary school students started national examinations on Monday, July 12, nearly 630 did not show up at exam centres in the Northern Province.

Officials said they were looking into possible reasons why these pupils did not come for exams.

A total 35,656 candidates registered for the primary leaving exams in the five districts of Northern Province. However, 628 students did not attend the two first examinations on Monday.

In Gicumbi District, 238 pupils did not come for the first exam.

District officials said that 83 of the pupils had been living in Gihembe refugee camp before their relocation in March to Mahama camp in Kirehe District of the Eastern Province.

In other districts, officials said they were following up to find out reasons behind the absence.

"We are working with local administrative officers and parents to know why the pupils did not come for the exams,” Alex Munyamahoro, the Director of Education in Musanze District told The New Times.

Exams during a pandemic

The national exams should have taken place in November 2020, but they were delayed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which prompted the closure of schools.

The examinations are taking place in spite of tight measures put in place recently to control the surge in new coronavirus cases.

Covid-19 preventing measures such as mask-wearing, hand-washing and social distancing were observed at the examination centres.

The Ministry of Education introduced guidelines allowing pupils who tested positive for Covid-19 to sit for national exams.

At least 50 students with mild symptoms attended the examinations countrywide, according to the Ministry.

Among those sitting for the exams in the Northern Province, 34 candidates were Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms. As The New Times has confirmed, an isolation room for Covid-19 patients has been established at each examination centre.

At one centre in Musanze District, two students were doing their exam in the presence of a nurse. The site supervisor, who preferred anonymity, said they were monitoring the situation to ensure the students do not transmit the virus to other.

"We are working with absolute vigilance so that the pupils finish exams safely without any transmission of the virus; in addition to the nurse in the rooms, the two pupils have been provided gloves and will get any support needed for their safety,” he said.

He said the pupils’ examination papers would be separated from those of their colleagues.

All pupils who tested positive for Covid-19 in the Northern Province were present for the exams on Monday, officials said.

A total of 254,678 candidates registered for the national examination countrywide. Of these 138,065 or 54 per cent are female candidates.