Full UNEB time table out as record 1.6 million candidates prep for 2026 exams

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has released the final timetable for the 2026 national examinations, with more than 1.6 million candidates registered for PLE, UCE and UACE.

UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo unveiled the timetable at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

The examination season will open on Thursday, October 8, with the briefing of UCE candidates. Written UCE examinations will start the following week.

PLE candidates will attend their briefing on Friday, October 30, before sitting their papers the following week.

UACE candidates will be briefed on Friday, November 6, with their written examinations starting the following week.

For UCE, UNEB will assess the third group of candidates under the Competency-Based Curriculum.

“For UCE, this is the third cohort of learners whom we are assessing under the Competency-Based Curriculum. The UACE candidates, these are the pioneers who took the first exam under the new curriculum in 2024,” Odongo said.

Heads of examination centres can access the timetables through their school portals.

UNEB has also produced hard copies, which it will distribute to schools with other examination stationery. Odongo directed schools to ensure that every candidate receives a copy.

The timetables will also be available on the UNEB website and its social media platforms.

The final timetable comes after UNEB warned the public against relying on an unofficial version that had circulated online before the official release.

Odongo said UNEB had registered 1,627,885 candidates for the three examinations by the close of business on Tuesday, September 22.

The figure represents an increase of 211,437 candidates, or 14.9 per cent, compared with 2025.

Females account for 52 per cent of the candidates.

UNEB said the figures show that female learners continue to outnumber males among those staying in school and reaching the national examination stage.

About 52 per cent of the candidates are sponsored by the government under its universal education programmes.

The registered candidates also include 6,090 learners with special educational needs.