Jinja, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | A Physical Education (PE) student at St. John’s Senior Secondary School Wakitaka in Jinja, eastern Uganda, tragically passed away on Monday, October 7. Anisha Kwagala, one of the 29 students who had selected PE as an optional subject, died around 7 a.m., just hours before she was due to sit for her practical examination under the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
PE, a recently introduced subject at the national examination level, is being tested by UNEB for the first time this year. According to school officials, Kwagala had been living with a congenital heart condition and had been receiving regular medical treatment. Despite her ongoing care, she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while preparing for her practical exam.
UNEB has been conducting practical exams for several weeks, even though the official examination period begins after Friday’s briefing. In addition to Physical Education, practical exams are being held in subjects such as Performing Arts, Nutrition & Food Technology, and Technology & Design, alongside languages like Latin, German, French, Arabic, Chinese, and Ugandan Sign Language.
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As Uganda prepares for the full commencement of national exams on October 14, this tragic event casts a somber shadow on what is typically a time of anticipation and hope for students across the country. Kwagala’s death is a heartbreaking reminder of the fragility of life, even as students strive to reach new academic milestones.
