The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has published the official 2025 timetables for the country’s three major national exams, a move that signals the start of what will be a record-setting year in terms of enrollment and curriculum rollout.
The announcement, made Monday by UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo, laid out the schedule: Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) candidates will be briefed on October 10, Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) begin October 31, and the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) follows on November 7.
“This is the second time UNEB will be assessing candidates under the Competency-Based Curriculum for UCE,” Odongo said in a statement posted to the board’s X account, formerly Twitter. He added that schools will receive both digital and printed copies of the timetables to ensure broad access.
Growing candidate numbers
The figures released alongside the timetables paint a picture of Uganda’s shifting education landscape. More than 1.4 million candidates are registered to sit for exams this year — a 7.5 percent increase compared to 2024. That includes 818,010 PLE candidates, 432,025 UCE candidates, and 166,433 UACE candidates.
“For the first time in many years, 51.5% of the candidates are female, while 48.5% are male,” Odongo said, calling the development “a reflection of the steady progress Uganda is making in bridging gender gaps in education.”
The rise is especially sharp at the UCE and UACE levels, with increases of 12.1 percent and 14.7 percent respectively. Roughly half of all candidates — 719,016 — are enrolled under Uganda’s Universal Education Programmes, while the rest are privately sponsored.
Inclusion and integrity
Odongo highlighted efforts to make the process more inclusive. Braille timetables for visually impaired students have already been distributed, part of UNEB’s Special Needs Education initiative.
“We want every candidate, including those with special needs, to access the examination timetable in a timely and convenient manner,” he said. Schools, he added, are expected to display the schedules on noticeboards for parents and students alike.
But the UNEB chief also sounded warnings. Some schools, he noted, have tried to register “non-existent SNE candidates” to secure unnecessary support services, such as sign language interpreters. “Such practices are unacceptable and will be met with strict disciplinary action,” Odongo said.
The road ahead
This year’s exams also mark a major shift in how students will be assessed under the Competency-Based Curriculum. Continuous Assessment scores, submitted by schools, will make up 20 percent of the final results, with end-of-cycle exams counting for the rest. Schools must submit these scores by September 30.
UNEB is urging candidates to avoid malpractice and indiscipline, warning of heightened surveillance during the season. At the same time, the board is promoting new study materials, including the first Question Bank tailored to the new Lower Secondary Curriculum.
“With these resources and timely access to timetables, we believe candidates will be well-prepared for the 2025 examinations,” Odongo said.
As exam season approaches, UNEB’s message to schools, parents and students is clear: prepare early, stay disciplined, and expect a system that is more demanding — but also more inclusive — than in years past.
