The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has officially released the 2026 timetables for the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).
1,627,885 candidates have registered for the 2026 national examinations, marking a 14.9 percent increase from the previous year.
UNEB Executive Secretary ,Dan Nokorach Odongo announced the release on Tuesday at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.
According to the release timetables, PLE candidates will receive briefing on October 30 before sitting their examinations on November 3 and 4.
The UCE examinations will begin with briefing on October 8 and run until November 3, while UACE examinations will run from October 10 to December 5.
Odongo disclosed that more than 1.6 million candidates registered to sit the examinations, noting that the number is provisional and likely to increase as some examination centres may have not fully submitted details of the registered candidates.
The board also reported an increase in the number of candidates. Accordingly, the 2026 candidature has increased by 211,437, representing a 14.9% rise from 1,416,448 candidates registered last year.
Odongo said the sharp rise in candidature was largely attributed to improved school completion rates, with more learners remaining in school and progressing to the next level.
He said the increases recorded in the last two to three years were significantly higher than the traditional annual growth of between 3% and 5%.
At PLE level, candidature has risen from 818,885 in 2025 to 920,796 this year, representing a 12.4% increase.
UCE candidature has increased by 16.4%, from 432,165 to 503,214, while UACE has recorded the highest growth of 22.5%, rising from 166,400 to 203,875 candidates.
Of the 1,627,885 candidates registered across the three examination levels, 846,871 (52%) are female and 781,014 (48%) are male.
About 52% of the candidates are sponsored by the Government under the Universal Primary and Secondary Education programmes, while 6,090 are learners with special educational needs.
Odongo also noted a significant increase in candidature for traditional science subjects at UACE level.
UNEB warns
“We wish to caution candidates against involvement in acts of indiscipline. Being a candidate does not put you over and above the school rules and regulations,” ED Odongo warned. “UNEB does not condone indiscipline and will not in any way support candidates who may be suspended or dismissed due to involvement in acts of indiscipline. We also ask parents to provide parental guidance to their candidates to avoid any mishaps.”
Accessing Timetables
Schools can access the timetables through their UNEB portals, while printed copies would be distributed alongside examination stationery.
“We have printed enough copies for all the UCE and UACE candidates,” Odongo said, urging school heads to ensure every candidate receives a copy.
The timetables are also available on the UNEB website and its social media platforms.
Braille versions of the UCE and UACE timetables will be provided for candidates with visual impairments.
Display of Registers
Odongo reminded heads of examination centres that displaying candidates’ registers is mandatory under the UNEB Act.
“The UNEB Act 259 article 4 subsection 2, requires that registers must be displayed for a period of 60 days prior to the examination,” he emphasized.
He said the display allows candidates and other stakeholders to verify the information.
The display period for the 2026 examinations started earlier and will end on October 7.
This year’s examinations will be conducted under the theme “Advancing Excellence in Assessment and Certification through Secure, Critical, Inclusive and Innovative Processes” for this year’s examinations.
Odongo said the theme emphasises examination security, credibility, inclusiveness and innovation in assessment.
He said UNEB would continue providing appropriate accommodations for learners with special educational needs to ensure they participate in the examinations on an inclusive basis.
