By Diana N.Kintu
The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has issued comprehensive guidelines to secondary schools on the management of learners repeating Senior Four (S.4) under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), with implementation set for the 2026 academic year.
The directive comes amid an increasing number of learners seeking to repeat S.4 after sitting the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations in 2024 and 2025.
It also addresses cases of students who completed Senior Three under the CBC but were unable to transition to Senior Four at the time and now wish to resume their studies.
In an official circular signed by UNEB Executive Director, Dan Odongo, head teachers have been instructed to admit such learners provided they meet the stipulated requirements.
The Board emphasised that all eligible learners must fully participate in S.4 classes throughout 2026 and undergo school-based assessments in line with CBC guidelines.
A key requirement outlined in the circular is the compilation and submission of Continuous Assessment scores. These include results from Activities of Integration and Subject Achievement, which form an integral part of the CBC evaluation framework.
Schools are expected to ensure that these assessments are conducted systematically and submitted to UNEB within the prescribed timelines.
Furthermore, UNEB has directed that learners must retain the subjects they registered for while in Senior Three. This measure is intended to maintain consistency in academic progression and ensure that learners are assessed fairly based on their original subject combinations.
The Board also provided specific guidance on project work, a core component of the CBC. Learners resuming from Senior Three are required to continue with their ongoing project work, ensuring continuity in skills development.
Meanwhile, S.4 repeaters are expected to revisit and refine their previous projects, focusing on key competencies such as implementation, reporting, and dissemination. These aspects will be assessed and must be submitted as part of the learners’ final evaluation.
In addition, UNEB has reminded all schools to strictly adhere to submission deadlines outlined in its earlier communication dated 24 February 2026.
Timely submission of assessment data is considered critical to maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the national examinations process.
The introduction of these guidelines reflects UNEB’s broader efforts to uphold fairness, standardisation, and quality assurance within the CBC framework.
By providing a clear pathway for repeaters and returning learners, the Board aims to ensure that no student is disadvantaged due to interruptions in their academic journey.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the move, noting that it offers a structured and supportive approach for learners seeking to improve their performance or complete their secondary education. The guidelines are also expected to help schools manage the transition more effectively, particularly as the CBC continues to be rolled out across different levels of the education system.