UGANDA — A total of 47 secondary schools across Uganda failed to register candidates for the 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, according to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), raising concerns about learners’ access to national examinations and their academic progression.
UNEB said its records, compiled at the end of the registration and candidates’ register display periods, showed that the 47 examination centres had not submitted any candidates for the 2026 examinations, which commenced on October 12.
The examination body warned that failure to register candidates contravenes the UNEB Act, Cap 259, and may violate learners’ right to education by jeopardising their opportunity to sit national examinations and advance to the next level of education.
The development highlights the importance of timely registration by schools to ensure that eligible Senior Four learners are not left out of national assessments. However, the notice did not establish whether the affected schools had closed, lacked eligible candidates or had learners registered through other examination centres.
Despite heavy rains and flooding that disrupted transport in some areas, the 2026 UCE examinations commenced smoothly. UNEB registered 503,055 candidates for this year’s examinations, compared with 432,165 in 2025, representing an increase of 16.4 per cent.
Of the registered candidates, 264,722 are female while 238,333 are male. The examinations are being conducted under the competency-based curriculum, which emphasises the practical application of knowledge and skills rather than relying solely on the memorisation of information.
LIST OF THE 47 SCHOOLS THAT DID NOT REGISTER CANDIDATES
- Kawami Vocational Secondary School
- Kigalama Forward Secondary School
- St James Secondary and Vocational School
- Kumi Comprehensive Secondary School
- Buwenge Modern Secondary School
- St Daniel Comboni SS-Matany
- Ahmadiyya Muslim High School
- St Mary’s College-Buwenge
- Akalo Comprehensive Secondary School
- King of Kings Secondary School-Iganga
- Kajara Secondary School
- Brain Trust Secondary School-Busia
- Kaamu Memorial College
- Goshen High School
- Masindi Academy
- Green Valley College-Yumbe
- Soroti Central Secondary School
- Abdul Waheed High School-Kilokole
- Mamtaz Secondary School-Kawempe
- Clive College-Koreka
- Taslim Modern Secondary School-Busia
- Green Valley High School-Luweero
- Makerere Advanced SS-Mukono
- Kigumba High School
- St Joseph Buganda Tuzuukuke SS
- St Francis Secondary School-Kawempe
- Asamuk Secondary School
- Victoria View Secondary School-Kiyindi
- Oaks of Righteousness High School
- Concerted College School-Ntinda
- Unity College-Ngetta
- St Peter’s Secondary School-Kabwohe
- Masooli Secondary School
- Kasana Secondary School
- Rwentobo East Secondary School
- Rugando College-Rwampara
- Muyembe High School
- Jinja Parents School-Kagoma
- Namungalwe Parents Secondary School
- Giants College-Luweero
- Bagiire Memorial College-Ngandho
- Shine High School-Kangavve
- Western High School-Rubanda
- St Miriam High School-Busabala
- Kisoro Progressive Secondary School
- Montclair Secondary School-Bunyangabu
- Townview Secondary School-Kapchorwa
UNEB’s warning serves as a reminder to schools and education administrators to prioritise examination registration and safeguard learners’ educational opportunities. The circumstances surrounding the 47 centres remain unclear, and further clarification would help establish why no candidates were registered and whether any learners were affected.
