(Kampala) – Over 142,000 students began their Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams today, marking the start of the final set of exams in Uganda’s national education system for 2024. The exams began with arts students writing History papers 3 and 4, while science students tackled Principal Mathematics Paper 1.
The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) spokesperson, Jenifer Kalule, confirmed the commencement of the exams and noted that this year’s UACE candidates have seen a significant increase compared to previous years. A total of 142,009 candidates are sitting the exams, which is an increase of 22.1% from last year’s 10,569 additional candidates. The exams are being held at 2,634 centres nationwide.
Of the 142,009 candidates, 35,661 are government-sponsored through the Universal Post-Secondary Education and Training (UPOLET) program, marking an increase from last year’s 24,679. The remaining 106,348 candidates are privately sponsored.
In terms of gender, 43.6% of the candidates are female, with 61,968 female candidates participating, while 56.4% are male, totaling 80,041 male candidates.
UNEB has deployed 991 contracted professionals and 470 security personnel to oversee the smooth conduct of the exams. The exams are being held under the theme “Embracing security and holistic assessment of learners in a dynamic environment,” emphasizing both security and comprehensive evaluation of students.
The UACE exams are taking place just after the successful completion of the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), and with Senior Four candidates set to complete their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams later this month. UNEB also reported that the pilot assessments for the new lower secondary curriculum were successfully completed, without significant challenges.
Although the examinations have generally proceeded smoothly, there have been a few reports of malpractice, which have been handled by the police. UNEB has assured the public that these issues are being effectively managed to maintain the integrity of the exams.
| Exam Details | Statistics |
|---|---|
| Total Number of Candidates | 142,009 |
| Government Sponsored Candidates | 35,661 (25.1%) |
| Privately Sponsored Candidates | 106,348 (74.9%) |
| Female Candidates | 61,968 (43.6%) |
| Male Candidates | 80,041 (56.4%) |
| Examination Centres | 2,634 |
| Contracted Professionals Overseeing Exams | 991 |
| Security Personnel Deployed | 470 |
The UACE exams will continue to test students’ knowledge and abilities in various subjects, concluding the educational cycle for the year.
