Concern as nursing students return to exam cheating

What the report says

Examination malpractice is again being flagged among nursing, midwifery and other allied health trainees in Uganda, according to The Observer, with the Uganda Health Professions Assessment Board (UHPAB) saying it withheld the results of 79 continuing students over suspected cheating and identified 130 suspected cases among finalists in the June 2026 exam series. The board said the latest figures mark a sharp rise after cases had fallen to only a few in late 2024.

The report says the ministry of education and UHPAB linked the issue to the trust placed in health workers, arguing that candidates implicated in cheating should not enter the workforce on the basis of compromised results. UHPAB also said new regulations now give it clearer authority to withhold, cancel or nullify results connected to malpractice. The board said it will increase invigilation and investigations to protect exam integrity.

The article adds broader performance context for the June results. Among continuing students, most passed, but a sizeable number will retake failed papers. Certificate candidates generally performed better than diploma students, while diploma results were described by officials as weaker. The report also notes that some health training programmes had stronger outcomes than others, but others such as pharmacy, medical radiography and clinical medicine showed lower performance.