By Diana kintu
The 2025 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations have officially begun, with a record-breaking 432,159 candidates set to sit for their O-Level finals. This number marks a significant increase from last year, showing over 52,000 more students participating in this year’s national assessment.
According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), this represents a 12.1% jump in candidates compared to 2024. The data also shows a promising trend in gender parity, with female students making up the majority of candidates at 52.7%, while males constitute 47.3%. Many of these students are benefiting from government support, with 154,657 (58%) of the candidates being sponsored under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme.
The start of the exams has, however, been set against the backdrop of a teachers’ industrial action. In its statement, UNEB acknowledged the concerns of teachers but made a heartfelt appeal to them. The Board respectfully requested that “teachers do not tag the supervision of national examinations to industrial action.
“It asked for their cooperation for the few days of the exam period to help assess the learners they have taught for years. UNEB reported that early signs are positive, indicating that teachers are “willing and ready to participate in the exercise.”
A major focus of the Board’s message was a stern warning against examination malpractice.Emphasising the theme of “Embracing security and holistic assessments of learners in a dynamic environment,” UNEB is partnering with security agencies to protect the integrity of the exams. The Board issued a strong caution to everyone involved, including teachers, invigilators, and the public, about the severe consequences of cheating.
The public was specifically warned to be wary of fraudsters claiming to sell examination papers. UNEB revealed that its security teams have already apprehended some of these individuals. The penalties for involvement in malpractice are severe. According to the UNEB Act, any person who gains or tries to gain possession of an exam paper, or who helps a candidate cheat, faces a fine or a prison sentence of up to 10 years, or both. This applies even if the material being sold is fake.
In a message directed at the political season, UNEB also cautioned all its contracted examination staff to avoid active involvement in political campaigns while they are supervising the exams. It further called upon political aspirants to avoid using school playgrounds for rallies to prevent disturbing the candidates.
The Executive Director of UNEB concluded with a reassuring note to the students, stating that the purpose of the examination is to assess their achievement and guide their career paths, not to fail them. Candidates were encouraged to approach the exams without panic, follow instructions, and have confidence. The statement ended with a blessing: “May God bless our candidates and those involved in the conduct of the examination, and may God bless our Country.”