The Ministry of Education and Sports has issued a nationwide ban on the public display of national examination results, warning that such practices violate Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019.
The directive specifically prohibits the publication of individual candidates’ names, scores, photographs, or result slips in newspapers, on social media, or school notice boards.
The move follows a directive by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, calling on schools to adopt more private and secure methods of result dissemination.
In a circular dated May 7, 2025, addressed to all headteachers and school proprietors, the Ministry expressed concern over the continued public posting of UNEB results, despite repeated warnings.
The circular, signed by Dr Kedrace Turyagenda, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, cited direct contravention of key provisions in the Data Protection and Privacy Act, especially those requiring the transparency and participation of the data subject in how their data is collected, processed, and disclosed, and security safeguards to protect that data.
“This practice violates the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019, and puts learners and their families at risk of undue stress, anxiety, and possible harassment or stigma,” the circular reads in part.
Schools are now required to share examination results privately, either through sealed letters or secure digital platforms. They are also prohibited from using students’ results or images for promotional or marketing purposes. Additionally, schools must refrain from publishing learners’ names or photographs on banners, billboards, school walls, social media, or traditional media outlets.
“Where necessary, a general performance summary may be shared,” the Ministry advised, “but it must not include names or personal identifiers of individual candidates.”
In Uganda, the public display of UNEB results has been a deeply entrenched tradition. Schools often publish names, scores, and photographs of their top performers on billboards, in national dailies, or during televised events.
These displays served both as a celebration of excellence and a marketing tool to attract high-paying parents in urban centers. However, the Ministry now views this practice as incompatible with students’ rights to privacy, especially when poor-performing candidates become subjects of ridicule, stigma, or bullying.
Uganda’s move reflects a broader international trend toward protecting student data. In countries like the United Kingdom, exam boards such as AQA and Edexcel release results only to students via secure portals, and public disclosure without consent is discouraged. Public school rankings are rare and often criticized for creating unhealthy academic pressure.
In Germany, exam results are classified as confidential information, and schools are legally restricted from publishing names or scores without student consent. Even class rankings are regulated under privacy laws.
Regionally, South Africa’s Department of Basic Education stopped publishing matric results with student names in 2022, following the enforcement of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Results are now accessed using exam numbers and personal verification.
The Ministry warned that failure to comply with the directive will attract penalties under Section 36 of the Data Protection and Privacy Act, which outlines legal consequences for misuse or unauthorized disclosure of personal data.
This latest action builds upon earlier pronouncements made by First Lady Janet Museveni during the release of the 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results in February, where she called on UNEB and schools to abandon the practice of publishing individual results on public platforms.
“Exam bodies must uphold the laws that protect personal information,” she said. “Learners deserve dignity and respect, regardless of how they perform.”
Uganda’s ban on the public display of UNEB results marks a paradigm shift in education communication, one that puts student welfare, data security, and legal compliance at the forefront.
By embracing confidential communication channels, the Ministry aims to protect learners from emotional harm, reduce unhealthy competition, and foster a more equitable education environment where results are private, and every child’s dignity is preserved.