UNEB sounds warning on schools blocking candidates from exams over fees balances as UCE starts

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has warned schools against blocking registered candidates from sitting national examinations over unpaid school fees, as the 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations got underway on Monday, October 12.

UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule-Musamba said school heads must resolve fee disputes with parents before examinations start and should not use examination time to recover outstanding balances.

“We have continuously had an issue concerning students who are blocked from sitting their final exams for having school fees balances,” Kalule-Musamba told journalists at Uganda Police Force headquarters in Naguru.

“As UNEB we have made it clear that learners, parents and schools need to come to an agreement before exams commence, and sign an MoU on how these fees will be paid,” she said.

Once national examinations begin, the UNEB spokesperson said, examination centres have a duty to allow every registered candidate to sit.

“As a school director or head of the examination centre, you have a responsibility to ensure that all registered candidates sit their exams. Your job is to hand them over to UNEB,” she said.

More than 503,000 Senior Four candidates began their written UCE examinations across the country. UNEB says UCE candidature rose by 16.4 per cent from about 433,000 candidates in 2025 to 503,214 this year. 

The first-day programme included Mathematics Paper 1 in the morning, followed by General Science (Chemistry) Paper 2 and Chemistry Paper 1 Theory in the afternoon. English Language and History and Political Education are scheduled for Tuesday. 

Kalule-Musamba said UNEB continues to receive reports of schools attempting to stop candidates over unpaid fees.

“We hope and believe that this year, no student has been or will be stopped from sitting their exams.”

The warning was already being tested on the first day of examinations. At Mother Land Academy in Nabweru, a candidate was nearly prevented from entering the examination room over an outstanding balance of Shs600,000 before security officers intervened and she was allowed to sit the paper. Similar concerns were reported in other parts of the country. 

UNEB says schools that still have legitimate fee claims can submit the names of affected candidates and request that their results be temporarily withheld.

“We have also advised the school heads to send us names of those students with school fees balances and we can withhold their results as a temporary measure such that when the money is cleared, the results can be released,” Kalule-Musamba said.

She also reminded candidates about UNEB’s rules on lateness.

“Remember that students who come 15 minutes after the exams have started are not allowed to sit the paper,” she said.

Heavy morning rain disrupted the collection of examination papers in parts of Kampala and other districts on Monday. At Jinja Road Police Station, which serves several examination centres, some school heads were still collecting materials shortly before the scheduled start time. UNEB officials later said all morning papers had been collected. 

This year, UNEB registered 1,627,885 candidates across UCE, Primary Leaving Examination and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education. That is 211,437 more candidates than in 2025. Of the total, 52 per cent are female and 48 per cent male. 

The UCE examinations are expected to run until early November. PLE candidates will be briefed on October 30, while UACE candidates are scheduled for briefing on November 6. 

UNEB has also warned schools and candidates against examination malpractice and reminded centre heads to observe security procedures throughout the examination period.