By Walimbwa MosesĀ
Schools have been directed to allow all candidates registered for the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations to sit their papers, regardless of outstanding school fees or other charges.
The directive, issued by the Minister of State for Higher Education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, who is acting as Minister of Education and Sports, follows reports that some candidates were being denied access to examination rooms over unpaid fees as the 2026 national examinations began on October 12.
Ministry spokesperson Dr Dennis Mugimba said the directive was intended to protect learners who had already been registered with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
āAny UNEB-registered candidate must be allowed to sit his or her end-of-cycle exams irrespective of whether he or she has any outstanding school fees or charges owed to the respective school,ā Mugimba said.
The directive comes as Uganda records a sharp rise in UCE candidature. UNEB says 503,214 candidates registered for the 2026 examination, compared with 432,163 in 2025 and 359,417 in 2024. The 2026 cohort is also the third to assess the Competency-Based Curriculum.
Participation has generally remained high. In 2025, 429,949 of the 432,163 registered UCE candidates sat the examination, leaving 2,214 absent, or 0.5 per cent. In 2024, the absence rate was 0.6 per cent.
Against this background, being prevented from entering an examination room can have consequences far beyond a single missed paper. A candidate who misses required subjects may fail to meet certification requirements, while missing an examination can disrupt progression to further education or training.
Recent incidents have illustrated the problem. At Mother Land Academy in Nabweru, Wakiso District, candidate Gift Winnie Nalukwago reportedly faced being denied entry over an outstanding Shs600,000 balance before intervention allowed her to sit the examination.
In Gulu City, Charity College Deputy Headteacher Jerose Adoch said about 50 of the schoolās 200 registered candidates had outstanding fees when examinations began. The school nevertheless allowed them to sit after parents committed to clearing the balances.
In Bugiri District, UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule-Musamba confirmed that a candidate had been turned away on the opening day over unpaid fees.
Under the new directive, schools must allow registered candidates to complete their examinations and notify UNEB of any outstanding balances. UNEB may withhold the candidatesā results until the dues are cleared and the schools confirm payment.
Schools are also prohibited from imposing additional penalties on candidates who sit examinations before clearing their fees.
The Ministry has instructed District Education Officers and UNEB scouts to monitor compliance, with schools that defy the directive liable to sanctions under applicable regulations.