A total of 203,809 candidates have today started writing the 2026 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations, marking a 22.4 per cent increase in candidature compared to last year’s 166,400 candidates.

The examinations opened with Science students sitting Principal Mathematics Paper One, while their Arts counterparts tackled History Paper One.

Addressing journalists at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) spokesperson Jennifer Kalule-Musamba said the candidates were registered from 3,039 examination centres across the country.

Of the total registered candidates, 106,361, representing 52 per cent, are male, while 97,448, accounting for 48 per cent, are female.

Kalule-Musamba also revealed that this year’s candidature includes 41 inmates from Upper Prison Secondary School in Luzira, comprising 40 males and one female.

The 2026 candidates are also the first UACE cohort to have undergone the Competency-Based Assessment model at Ordinary Level (O-Level) in 2024.

UNEB says it has aligned assessment at Advanced Level (A-Level) with the competency-based curriculum, following guidance from the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC).

The examinations are being conducted under the theme: “Advancing Excellence in Assessment and Certification through Secure, Credible, Inclusive, and Innovative Processes.”

To ensure the integrity of the examination process, UNEB has deployed more than 1,000 scouts, alongside security and surveillance personnel, to monitor examination activities and guard against malpractice.

Kalule-Musamba wished all candidates success, reaffirming the Board’s commitment to administering credible examinations that accurately reflect each candidate’s individual performance.

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