UNEB releases 2026 exam timetables as candidature rises to record 1.63mln

KAMPALA, September 23, 2026 — The Uganda National Examinations Board [ UNEB ] has released the 2026 examination timetables for the Primary Leaving Examination [PLE], Uganda Certificate of Education [UCE] and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education [UACE], with a record provisional candidature of 1,627,885 learners.

The figure represents an increase of 211,437 candidates, or 14.9 percent, from the 1,416,448 candidates registered in 2025. Girls account for 52 percent of the total candidature, while boys make up 48 percent.

Speaking in Kampala during the release of the timetables on Wednesday, UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo said the examination period would begin with the briefing of UCE candidates on October 8, followed by the PLE briefing on October 30. UACE candidates will be briefed on November 7 before their examinations begin.

“This year’s UCE candidates form the third cohort of learners to be assessed under the Competency-Based Curriculum [CBC],” Odongo said.

“The UACE candidates were the pioneers of CBC at lower secondary school level. This time, they will be assessed based on a curriculum that has been aligned to the CBC and assessment modalities,” he said.

According to the timetable, UCE examinations will run from October 8 to November 3, PLE from October 30 to November 4, and UACE from November 7 to December 5.

The release comes as schools continue to implement the Ministry of Education and Sports’ 2026 academic calendar, under which the third term began on September 14 and will end on December 4 for primary and secondary schools. The calendar provides the framework within which the national examinations are being conducted.

Odongo said UNEB had adopted the theme, “Advancing Excellence in Assessment and Certification through Secure, Credible, Inclusive and Innovative Processes,” highlighting examination security, public confidence, inclusiveness for learners with disabilities and innovation as key priorities.

He urged schools to ensure that every candidate receives a copy of the timetable and that copies are displayed on school notice boards. Braille versions of the timetable have also been provided for visually impaired candidates.

UNEB also reminded schools that displaying candidates’ registers remains mandatory until October 7 to allow learners to verify their names, dates of birth, photographs and registered subjects before the examinations begin.

“Candidates MUST sign on a parallel register to confirm correctness of the registration data,” Odongo said.

UACE records biggest increase

The biggest increase in candidature was recorded at UACE, where the number of candidates rose by 22.5 percent, from 166,400 in 2025 to 203,875 this year.

UCE candidature increased by 16.4 percent to 503,214, while PLE candidature grew by 12.4 percent to 920,796.

Odongo attributed the overall growth to improved completion rates and increased transition of learners from one education level to another.

“There is a sharp increase in candidature at all levels, which we may attribute to higher completion rates, with more learners staying on in school and transitioning to the next level,” he said.

The Board also reported an unprecedented increase in enrolment for traditional science subjects at UACE. Biology registrations increased by 80.3 percent, Chemistry by 73.7 percent and Physics by 64.4 percent.

Schools warned over Continuous Assessment

On the Competency-Based Curriculum, Odongo said schools must complete the submission of Continuous Assessment scores by September 30.

He warned that candidates whose final Continuous Assessment and project scores are not submitted will not be graded. UNEB said the current submission rate stands at 82 percent.

The Board also cautioned head teachers against falsely registering learners as Special Needs Education [SNE] candidates to obtain additional examination time or support personnel.

“All these are meant to give such candidates extra time and possibly a transcriber. This gives the candidate an unfair advantage over the others,” Odongo warned.

UNEB warns against fake examination papers

UNEB further cautioned parents and teachers against fraudsters selling fake examination papers as the examination season approaches.

The Board stressed that official examination papers remain secure and inaccessible before the scheduled examination dates.

Candidates were urged to maintain discipline throughout the examination period. UNEB said it would not intervene where learners are suspended or dismissed by schools for misconduct.

Odongo also revealed that investigations are underway into schools that failed to register candidates this year despite presenting candidates in 2025.

He said a final list of the affected schools is expected to be published after September 30.

Government schools accused of UPE registration fraud

In addition, UNEB accused some government Universal Primary Education [UPE] schools of fraudulently registering private candidates under the UPE programme while retaining fees paid by parents instead of remitting the money to the Board.

“Government has therefore been defrauded,” Odongo said.

He called on Resident District Commissioners [RDCs], Chief Administrative Officers [CAOs] and District Internal Security Officers [DISOs] to identify those responsible and ensure that the money is recovered.

Odongo also urged schools to adhere to Ministry of Education and Sports guidelines on teaching hours to ensure learners have adequate time to rest as they prepare for the national examinations.

https://thecooperator.news/uneb-releases-2025-uace-results-as-over-113000-qualify-for-university/

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