More than 500,000 candidates have begun their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) warning candidates and the public against fraudsters selling fake examination papers on social media.
A total of 503,055 candidates registered for the 2026 UCE examinations, representing a 16.4 per cent increase from the 432,165 candidates who sat the examinations last year.
The examinations started on Monday, October 12, with Mathematics Paper One in the morning, followed by Chemistry Papers One and Two in the afternoon.
UNEB said the examinations began smoothly across the country despite disruptions caused by heavy rains that flooded roads in some areas, affecting the movement of examination materials.
“The first phase of papers was successfully delivered to all our stations in good time. We got some challenges with the flooding of the roads in some parts of the country due to the heavy rains. Nonetheless, our teams were able to deliver, and we salute them for the resilience,” UNEB Principal Public Relations Officer Jennifer Kalule-Musamba said.
The 2026 examinations mark the fourth cohort of learners to be assessed under the Competency Based Curriculum at the UCE level.
Of the registered candidates, 264,722, representing 52.7 per cent, are female, while 238,333, or 47.3 per cent, are male. They are sitting their examinations at 4,514 centres across the country.
The government is sponsoring 187,918 candidates under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme, up from 154,642 last year, while 315,132 candidates are privately sponsored.
UNEB said it had deployed more than 2,000 scouts and nearly 600 security personnel across the country to protect the integrity of the examinations, working alongside security agencies and contracted professionals.
The board, however, warned members of the public against engaging with individuals and online groups claiming to sell genuine examination papers, saying some suspects had already been arrested.
“The public is hereby cautioned against dealing with fraudsters who are out there trying to trick unsuspecting members of the public. Our security teams have already caught up with some of them,” Kalule-Musamba said.
She said six suspects accused of selling fake examination papers on social media platforms were remanded by a magistrate’s court in Kampala last week until October 19, 2026.
UNEB warned that joining social media groups used to trade purported examination papers could expose members to prosecution, urging anyone in such groups to leave immediately.
The board said anyone found guilty of examination malpractice would face the penalties prescribed under the UNEB Act, Cap 259.
Section 25 of the law provides for a fine of up to Shs40 million, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both, for anyone who obtains or attempts to obtain unauthorised possession of examination papers, materials or information relating to the contents of an examination.
The same penalties apply to anyone who wilfully or negligently helps a candidate obtain examination materials or information without authorisation, whether the material is genuine or fake.
Under Section 26, teachers, invigilators, scouts and other people who assist candidates to cheat, negligently allow cheating or fail to stop unauthorised assistance face a fine of up to Shs20 million, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
UNEB encouraged members of the public with information about suspected examination malpractice to report it through its toll-free line, 0800-211-077.
“The person providing useful information shall be protected under our whistleblowers’ policy and shall be compensated once the information provided is found useful,” Kalule-Musamba said.
The board also cautioned school administrators against preventing candidates from sitting examinations because of outstanding school fees, warning that such actions could disrupt the examination process and affect learners’ performance.
UNEB said it had asked parents and head teachers to resolve fees-related disputes before the start of the examinations but urged schools to allow all registered candidates to access examination rooms now that the papers had begun.
“The Board will work with schools to put in place measures to assist them recover their fees at the time of release of results,” Kalule-Musamba said.
Candidates were also warned against indiscipline, with UNEB saying schools retained the authority to enforce their regulations and that the board would not intervene on behalf of learners facing disciplinary action for misconduct.
The board urged candidates to remain confident, saying the examinations were a stepping stone to further education and the pursuit of their chosen careers.
“The examination is not an end in itself but simply a means to help the candidates go to the next level in line with their career path,” Kalule-Musamba said.
UNEB said its focus this year was to advance excellence in assessment and certification through secure, credible, inclusive and innovative processes, while ensuring that the certificates awarded remain internationally recognised.