More than 432,000 students across Uganda officially began their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations today, Monday, in what the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has described as a smooth and well-coordinated national rollout.
During a press briefing held at the Police Headquarters in Naguru, Jennifer Kalule Musamba, UNEB’s Principal Public Relations Officer, confirmed that exams had successfully commenced in all parts of the country.
She noted that candidates sat for Geography Paper 1 in the morning session and Biology Theory in the afternoon.
Kalule attributed the successful start to the timely delivery of examination materials over the weekend and the favorable weather conditions, which ensured that operations at all centres proceeded without disruption.
This year’s examination cycle is being conducted under the theme: “Embracing Security and Holistic Assessment of Learners in a Dynamic Environment,” which UNEB says reflects its commitment to fair, secure, and comprehensive assessment processes.
Kalule emphasized the need to uphold the integrity of the examination process, urging all stakeholders to remain vigilant in preserving the credibility of both the exams and the resulting certificates.
The 2025 UCE candidates for the second cohort to be examined under Uganda’s revised lower secondary curriculum, which assesses learners based on a combination of continuous and summative evaluation.
Under this model, 20 percent of the final grade is drawn from continuous assessment and project work, while 80 percent is based on the final written examinations.
Kalule confirmed that all eligible candidates had submitted their continuous assessment scores in accordance with UNEB requirements.
In total, 432,159 candidates registered for the 2025 UCE exams. Of these, 52.7% are female, while 47.3% are male.
The cohort includes 679 learners with special needs, underscoring UNEB’s commitment to inclusive and accessible education.
These include 28 blind students, 60 who are deaf, 113 with low vision, and 73 with severe physical disabilities.
Additional candidates are managing conditions such as asthma or physical challenges that make extended sitting difficult.
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