The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has raised concerns over its inability to secure the necessary funds to train and equip A-Level teachers for the successful rollout of the new competence-based curriculum.
While appearing before the Parliamentary Education Committee, chaired by MP James Kubeketerya, UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo disclosed that the board requires Shs 8.3 billion in the 2026/27 financial year to adequately prepare teachers for the transition. However, no funding has been allocated thus far.
Odongo cautioned that failure to secure the required funds could lead to challenges similar to those faced during the initial rollout of the curriculum at the O-Level, where insufficient preparation led to gaps in understanding, assessment, and lesson delivery.
In addition to concerns over teacher training, UNEB is grappling with financial shortfalls for administering and marking final examinations at both O-Level and A-Level.
To address the funding strain, UNEB has proposed an increase in marking fees, suggesting a hike in the O-Level marking fee from Shs 564 to Shs 1,500 per script, and an increase in the A-Level marking fee from Shs 1,488 to Shs 2,000 per script.
Furthermore, UNEB has proposed raising invigilation fees from Shs 45,000 to Shs 60,000 to help cover the increasing costs of conducting exams.
By Francis Lubega
18th Feb 2026
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