KAMPALA, Uganda (UGNEWSLINE) – A total of 53 candidates from Uganda Government Upper Prison School in Luzira are among the 920,833 Primary Seven pupils beginning their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) today across the country.
The candidates, sitting under Examination Centre Number 130377, comprise 47 males and six females, making them part of this year’s nationwide PLE candidature.
The examinations officially begin today, Tuesday, November 3, with Mathematics scheduled for the morning session, followed by Social Studies and Religious Education in the afternoon.
On Wednesday, November 4, candidates will sit Integrated Science in the morning before concluding their examinations with English in the afternoon.
According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), this year’s candidature has increased by 12.5 per cent from 817,885 candidates registered in 2025 to 920,833 candidates this year.
The candidates are registered at 16,478 examination centres across the country.
Of the total candidature, 484,620 (52.7 per cent) are female, while 436,213 (47.3 per cent) are male, reflecting a higher number of girls sitting the examinations.
UNEB figures further indicate that 576,342 candidates, representing 62.5 per cent, are sponsored under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme, while 344,491 (37.5 per cent) are privately sponsored.
Special support for learners with disabilities
A total of 4,655 candidates have Special Needs Education (SNE) requirements. These include 2,352 males and 2,303 females.
UNEB has put in place special arrangements to ensure that learners with disabilities receive the necessary support throughout the examination period.
The support includes braille question papers and answer sheets for blind candidates, large-print question papers for learners with low vision, sign language interpreters for deaf candidates, and transcribers for learners with dyslexia and those with severe physical impairments affecting their ability to read and write.
All candidates with special needs will also be granted an additional 45 minutes for each examination paper.
To facilitate this support, a total of 1,544 support personnel have been deployed across the country.
Scouts and invigilators have been urged to remain vigilant and pay attention to the specific needs of these candidates, ensuring they receive appropriate assistance.
UNEB has also called upon examination officials and school administrators to cooperate with its deployed support personnel to enable them to effectively perform their duties.
Security and supervision tightened
The examination exercise will be supervised by 162 District Monitors and 13,738 scouts, who will oversee the conduct of the examinations across the country.
Several security personnel have also been deployed to safeguard the examination process, protect candidates and ensure the safety of field officers.
Candidates cautioned on examination rules
As the examinations begin, UNEB has reminded candidates and examination officials to observe the established examination guidelines.
Candidates are required to report to their examination rooms by 8:30 a.m. for morning papers and 1:30 p.m. for afternoon papers to allow for identification and verification.
Late candidates may only be admitted within the first 15 minutes after the examination has started.
Before the commencement of each paper, candidates are expected to ensure that the examination envelope has not been opened or tampered with by having one of them inspect it.
They have also been advised to carefully read and follow the general instructions provided on the front page of each question paper, particularly the time allocated for the examination.
UNEB has further cautioned candidates against writing the names of their schools on question papers. Instead, they must indicate the prescribed random number assigned to their school for each paper, alongside their personal examination number and name.
For schools sharing examination centres, officials have been urged to ensure that candidates use the correct random numbers assigned to their respective schools to avoid confusion.
With 920,833 candidates taking part in this year’s examinations, UNEB’s emphasis remains on maintaining the integrity, security and fairness of the national assessment while ensuring that every learner, including those with special needs, is given an equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic abilities.
