A total of 503,055 candidates have begun their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations across the country, according to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
The candidates comprise 264,722 females and 238,333 males, sitting their examinations at 4,514 centres nationwide.
The examinations began with Mathematics Paper One in the morning, followed by General Science, comprising Chemistry Paper One and Paper Two, in the afternoon.
Of the total number of candidates, 187,918, representing 37.3 per cent, are sponsored by the government under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme, while 315,132 are privately sponsored under the non-USE category.
UNEB also reported that 906 candidates are learners with Special Needs Education (SNE), highlighting efforts to promote inclusivity in the national examinations.
This year’s examinations are being conducted under the theme: “Advancing Excellence in Assessment and Certification through Secure, Credible, Inclusive and Innovative Processes.”
Meanwhile, UNEB has warned candidates against examination malpractice, cautioning that anyone found engaging in the vice risks having their results for the entire examination cancelled.
“Candidates must be informed that involvement in malpractice in one paper shall lead to the cancellation of results of the whole examination, and therefore, I implore Heads of Centres to diligently carry out this exercise of briefing without delegating it,” UNEB warned.
The examination body urged heads of examination centres to personally brief candidates on the rules and regulations governing the examinations. The measure is intended to ensure compliance, promote transparency and safeguard the credibility of the assessment process.
