Uneb orders schools to display candidate registers for public verification

The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has directed all heads of examination centres to publicly display the candidates’ register for one month to enable parents, learners, and stakeholders to verify candidate details.

Although the directive was issued on August 18, Uneb instructed that the display period should run from August 10 to October 10. The registers must be posted in locations accessible to learners at each examination centre and will also be available at district, municipal, and city education offices.

According to the Uneb Act, “the candidate’s register should be displayed in a conspicuous place at the school where the candidates are registered, and at the district headquarters respectively.”

The board has also urged parents of children studying in schools without examination centres to confirm where their candidates have been registered and ensure their names appear on the lists.

The move seeks to prevent a recurring problem where some learners discover on the eve of examinations that they were never registered. In previous years, parents and students have lodged complaints on examination day after being misled by headteachers, when little could be done to salvage the situation.

Uneb spokesperson Jennifer Kalule said parents who have proof of having paid registration fees but find their children missing on the register should immediately report the matter to the board.

Under the revised Uneb Act, any person authorised, or claiming to be authorised, to collect examination registration fees but failing to remit them commits an offence. Upon conviction, the offender faces a fine of up to Shs 40 million, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both.

“In addition, the person convicted shall pay back the money collected from the affected students or their sponsors and compensate them accordingly. Where the person convicted is a registered teacher, they will also face disciplinary action under the relevant laws governing the teaching profession,” the Act states.

Alongside the physical display, Uneb has rolled out an SMS service that enables parents and candidates to confirm registration details.

To use the service, one must type “Reg”, leave a space, enter the candidate’s full index number, and send the message to 6600.

When reviewing the registers, teachers, parents, and candidates are required to carefully verify each learner’s bio-data, including: Index or personal number, correct spelling and order of names, date of birth, gender, attached photo,s ubjects or papers registered for UCE and UACE.

Where discrepancies are found, schools must formally communicate with Uneb within the stipulated time. For minor errors, schools should complete the amendment forms provided on the Uneb portal. At UCE and UACE levels, centres are required to submit formal request letters with supporting documents such as a national ID or birth certificate for corrections.

According to Uneb, a total of 1,415,857 candidates have registered for the 2025 national examinations across all three levels: Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).

This figure represents a 6.8 per cent increase compared to the 1,319,139 candidates who registered in 2024.