The 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations commenced yesterday across the country, with science students sitting their Physics Paper One in the morning and Physics Paper Two in the afternoon, as their Arts colleagues did their History examination, English, and Kiswahili languages.
According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb), the examinations started on time and were conducted smoothly, without any major incidents. Addressing journalists in Kampala, Uneb Spokesperson Jennifer Kalule said all the examination materials were distributed to 2,844 centres across the country without major incidents. ‘The first day has gone smoothly. We thank the weather and field staff for ensuring timely delivery,’ Ms Kalule said.
She warned the public against engaging in examination malpractice, stressing that offenders would be prosecuted under the Uneb Act, which carries penalties of between five and 10 years’ imprisonment. ‘Anyone apprehended will be dealt with in accordance with the law. We have zero tolerance for malpractice,’ she said. At Soroti Secondary School, with a total of 641 candidates started their exams at exactly 9am. Mr Charles Peter Opolot, the director of studies at Soroti Secondary School, said despite the timely delivery, one of their candidates, Remedius Ogwang, didn’t appear for the examination. Mr Patrick Emokor, the principal education officer of Soroti City, acknowledged that compared to UCE exams, UACE examination papers arrived early. ‘So far, we are doing well. I will assess the situation as the day goes on, otherwise, there are no shortages, no late deliveries,’ he said.
At Soroti Municipal Secondary School, Mr Rogers Mboizi said they began at 9am with 17 students sitting for their Physics Paper One out of 75 who registered for the UACE exams. In Apac, in the greater Lango Sub-region, the UACE kicked off smoothly, without glitches, according to the area secretary for education and health, Mr Sam Opira. In the neighbouring Kwania, there was also no reported incident of the late arrival of examination materials as witnessed in the PLE. However, while schools were dead quiet, the Lira City streets were noisy as several parliamentary candidates launched of their campaigns. The Uneb area supervisor for Tororo District, Ms Beatrice Akware Lumonya, said the examinations started at 9am in most of the 16 sitting centres.
She told this newspaper that most of the head teachers were at the distribution centre by 7:30am and this made it easy for them to handle the distribution exercise faster. ‘Unlike in the UCE where we had over 36 sitting centres, this time round the sitting centres were few and this made us handle it faster starting with the farthest,” Ms Lumonya said. She cautioned those managing the exercise and also candidates against examination malpractice. In Mbale City and the neighbouring district, Mr Rogers Taitika said they had not registered any case of malpractice. When this publication visited schools in western Uganda, there were no registered cases of delays in delivery of papers.
At Nyakagyeme Secondary School in Rukungiri District, the head teacher, Mr Denis Mukunzi, said they registered 23 candidates. ‘The candidates are already doing their first exam. So far the situation is still normal and we ask God to keep us well so that we can go through this exercise in a peaceful manner,’ he said. At Katurika Secondary School, in Rukungiri District, the head teacher, Mr Sam Muguruza, said the school is prepared for the exercise. At Kashenyi Secondary School in Rukungiri District, Rev Ivan Mwongyera, the head teacher, said the school registered 67 candidates and they all turned up for briefing on Friday last week. ‘The situation at the school is calm and our candidates are already in the examination room for their first exam.
I am asking the parents to support their children throughout the exercise,’ he said. The Rukungiri District Chief Supervisor, Mr David Kapiira Turyamusima said this year’s exercise started with the distribution of exams, and it was done at 7am to allow candidates in far parts of the district to do their exam in time. ‘The school head teachers and examination distributors arrived in time and we were able to complete the distribution exercise session in time,’ he said. He also urged the public to cooperate with Uneb officials and police. ‘This is a community exercise that needs co-operation and everyone’s participation so let’s cooperate for the smooth running of the exercise,’ he said.
Rukungiri District has 1,198 candidates who are sitting for this year’s UACE exams. Mr Elias Sempa, the head teacher of Welden School Mbarara, said they have 120 candidates, although some have fees balances to clear. Mr Godfrey Ahimbisibwe, the Mbarara area supervisor, said the invigilators will ensure that the exams are done according to the guidelines. The Head teacher of Nyakasura School, Rev Richardson Balinda, said the examinations started on time. He added that the school registered 111 Senior Six candidates for this year’s UACE examinations, and all of them are present.
At Fort Portal Secondary School, the head teacher, Mr Rogers Katerega, said unlike during the Senior Four examinations, this time the exams started on schedule and all 194 registered candidates were present at the school. ‘All our candidates are in good health and are all at school. Even those who don’t have a paper on a given day are encouraged to stay around the school. We don’t want any student to miss an exam, and we are hopeful for the best,’ Mr Katerega said. In Acholi districts of Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya, Omoro and Gulu City, the UACE examinations kicked off well without any incident registered. Mr Richard Irwenyo, the education officer for Gulu City, said: ‘The kick-off was clear, there was no incident this morning and we made sure we assessed all the schools on their preparedness levels.’ We visited Koro Secondary School, in Omoro District where all the candidates were present and started exams at the scheduled time.
According to police, the minor challenges were linked to bad weather, poor roads due to heavy rains currently being received across the region, but were manageable. ‘The UACE materials were safely delivered to the various schools within Uneb gazetted centres. The exercise started well without any major challenges or complaints registered.’
Mr David Ongom Mudong, the Aswa West regional police spokesman said. Kamuli District Uneb Supervisor Oliver Nambi said the papers were duly distributed from the central police station and delivered in time.
‘This time the rain has been polite and a blessing to the A-Level candidates and the teachers to supervise have called off the strike, so the manpower is enough’ ‘My appeal to the head teachers is to ensure smooth running of the exams and also give defaulting candidates concession as registered candidates and leave it to Uneb to withhold their results,’ Ms Nambi said.
Kabukye Muslim Secondary School Kamuli Head Teacher Saleh Isabirye said expressed excitement, saying those city exams at the school were pineer candidates. Candidates from Kyabazinga College and Central College Kamuli said the first paper was favourable and well balanced. At Ndejje Secondary School in Luweero District, where a total of 229 candidates are sitting for UACE, the exam papers arrived on time with no registered incidents affecting the candidates, according to the school’s head teacher, Mr Davidi Banabas Ssenkungu.
At Luweero Secondary School, where a total of 188 candidates registered for UACE, the morning rains did not disrupt the exam as the candidates embarked on their first set of exam papers said Mr Ronald Kato, the school head teacher. In Masaka City and Masaka District, the exam coordinators said the candidates at their respective centres had a smooth start for the first set of the UACE papers.
At Masaka Secondary School where a total of 710 candidates registered for UACE, the school registered a smooth start for the first set of exams yesterday according to the head teacher, Mr Ahmed Mukiibi.
‘We have had a smooth start on the first day with all candidates expected for their respective papers reporting on time,’ he said. At Kijjabwemi Secondary School, another government aided secondary school in Masaka District, the head teacher said the centre registered 156 candidates, with all those who were supposed to have their exam papers arriving on time for the papers.
In Mityana District, exam centres that include MUMUSA High School and Mityana Standard High School, the candidates reported early, with the exam material transported to the respective centres on time, according to the exam coordinators.