KAMPALA. The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has finalised preparations to conduct Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) which kickoff on Monday , October 10.
A total of 432,159 registered candidates were briefed on Friday at 4,308 sitting centres across the country.
52.7 percent of the UCE candidates are females while 47.3 percent are males .
This year’s national exams will be conducted under the theme “Embracing security and holistic assessment of learners in a dynamic environment.”
A total of 154,637(36 percent) if the candidates are sponsored by the government under the Universal Secondary Education(USE) Programme, compared to last year’s USE candidates who were 138,502. The privately sponsored candidates total up to 241,246.
Six hundred and seventy-nine (679) candidates are Special Needs Education(SNE) candidates for which the Board is employing 190 support personnel to provide the required assistance .
Last year, 379,748 candidates sat for UCE –indicating a percentage increase of 12.1 percent . As usual ,Uneb has partnered with various security agencies as well as contracted professionals to ensure the security of the examinations is guaranteed.
Over 1,300 scouts have been deployed countrywide, along with over 500 security personnel. However, this year’s exams have come at a time when teachers are still on a sit down strike which might affect the smooth supervision of the exercise which ends on November 8.
In a statement on October 10 Uneb executive director Mr Dan Odongo said admitted that teachers are key stakeholders in the conduct of national exams and urged those on strike not to tag the supervision of the exams to the ongoing industrial action.
“We ask their indulgence to accept and join us for a new days of the conduct of the examinations ,to enable us effectively assess the achievement of the learners that they have taught over the years.
The briefing session that we have so far had with the chief scouts ,who are mainly teachers , indicates that the teachers are willing and ready to participate in the exercise ,and the board greatly appreciate this ,” he said
This year, 818,010 Primary Seven candidates will sit their Primary Leaving Examinations(PLE) which will be conducted between November 3-4 while another 166,433 will sit for Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE ) which will commence on November 7 and end on December 5.
Under the Competency-Based Curriculum, UNEB reminded schools that Continuous Assessment contributes 20 percent of a learner’s grade, with End of Cycle exams at 80 percent .
Term II Senior Four CA and Project scores were supposed to be submitted by September 30, 2025, or affected candidates will not be graded.