The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB)

UNEB revealed that this period for examinations nationwide applies to candidates sitting for Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) and examinations at Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) levels.

Last year, examinations were held from March to June due to the lockdown to halt the spread of Covid-19 that affected the 2020 academic year.

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This time around, it was widely believed that examinations would be held in May, as many candidates had been studying online since May last year. However, UNEB announced that it would return to the old schedule of exams.

According to UNEB’s Executive Secretary, Dan Odongo, the normal registration of candidates at all levels (PLE, UCE and UACE) begins this month of February and will go on until May 31, 2022.

Odongo says a period has been set for late registration, starting from 1st to June 31, 2022. This is for those candidates who are unable to register between February and May 31st, 2022.

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UNEB says the registration fees for candidates at all levels will continue with PLE fees at Shs34,000, UCE(Shs68,000) while UACE will pay Shs164,000.

UNEB clarifies that although late registration is acceptable, it will attract a surcharge of 50% of the total registration fees at UCE and UACE levels, and 100% surcharge at PLE level.

Odongo also confirmed that the government will continue to pay the registration fees for all the candidates sponsored under any of the three programs; Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE) and the Universal Post-O Level Education and Training program (UPOLET).

UNEB has asked heads of examination centres or their representatives authorised to collect examination registration fees to ensure that all the UNEB registration fees are remitted to UNEB and their students are duly registered for the examination.

“Anyone who fails to do so commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding two thousand currency points (forty million shillings) or a term of imprisonment not exceeding ten years or both as provided in Section 32 of the UNEB Act 2021,” Odongo warned.

In the event of such an offence, the offender shall also pay back the money collected to the concerned students or their sponsors and compensate them accordingly, UNEB stressed.

It was also added that where the person convicted is a registered teacher, the person shall be disciplined under the appropriate laws regulating the teaching profession.

Odongo has also warned heads of UPE, USE and UPOLET centres who collect examination fees from private candidates but register these as government sponsored candidates.

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According to Odongo, this is a fraudulent practice which causes financial loss to government

“Any head of an examination centre or school director discovered to have indulged in this practice shall pay twice the amount that has been defrauded. Relevant laws on fraud will be applied on such a headteacher/director and in addition, the examination centre number of the school shall be withdrawn,” Odongo said.

Meanwhile, display of candidates’ registers will start on August 1 and end on September 30, 2022 while detailed timetables for the three examinations will be issued by August 31, 2022.