The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has so far registered 1,403,169 candidates from the three sets of national papers: the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), and the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) as of June 15, 2026. ‘It is 15 days to the end of the extended period of normal registration of 2026 candidates. Provisional candidature stands at one million, three hundred and four thousand, one hundred sixty-nine (1,403,169). This is for all the three assessment levels,’ Ms Jennifer Kalule Uneb’s principal public relations officer, said. According to a Uneb statement, of the 1,404,169 candidates, 844,341 are PLE candidates, with 444,133 (52.6 percent) females, while 400,208 (47.4 percent) are males.
The statement shows that 539,954 (64 percent) of the PLE candidates are registered under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Programme sponsored by the government while 304,387 (36 percent) are privately sponsored. It adds that the candidature at UCE provisionally stands at 401,509. Of these, 213,421 (53.2 percent) are females, while 188,088 (46.8 percent) are males. At least 152,043 (38 percent) of the UCE candidates are sponsored by government under the Universal Secondary Education Programme (USE), while 249,466 (62 percent) are privately sponsored. At A-Level or UACE level, 157,319 candidates have so far registered. These include 76,383 (48.6 percent) females, and 80,936 (51.4 percent) males.
Some 57,933 (37 percent) of these are funded by government under the Uganda Post O-Level and Training Programme (UPOLET), while 99,386 (63.1 percent) are privately sponsored. The Uneb report shows that 91.5 percent of the PLE centres have so far submitted their registration data, while 76.6 percent of the UCE centres and 69 percent of the UACE centres have registered candidates. A total of 23,421 centres are expected to register candidates. These include 15,999 PLE centres, 4,436 UCE centres, and 2,986 UACE centres. Ms Kalule explained that normal registration of candidates continues until June 30, 2026. Late registration will take place in July, for those who fail to register in June. However, late registration attracts a surcharge of 100 percent for PLE candidates, and 50 percent for UCE and UACE candidates.
Late registration shall end on July 31, 2026. Thereafter, there will be no more registration for 2026 candidates. Ms Kalule advised heads of centres with candidates supported by the government to ensure they register them before the end of the normal registration period. The Uneb has also tasked headteachers to register all prospective candidates so that no learner is left out. Ms Kalule explained that the registration fees structure has been maintained at Shs34,000 for PLE candidates, Shs164,000 for UCE, and Shs186,000 for UACE. Parents have in the past raised an alarm of hiked registration fees by some schools.
Ms Kalule cautioned schools that according to the Uneb Act, CAP 259 section 33, it is an offence to charge fees not prescribed by Uneb and refer to such fees as ‘Uneb fees’.
‘Heads of centres and school directors are therefore cautioned ‘against calling any other administrative costs’- Uneb fees,’ she warned. The examinations body also emphasised that it is the responsibility of candidates, parents and heads of centres to confirm that the biodata of the candidates is correct. Candidates are also required to verify the correctness of the details and append their signatures as proof that they have verified the information.