Uganda Ministry Orders Schools to Allow All Registered Students to Sit UCE Exams Despite Fee Arrears

The Ministry of Education and Sports has stepped in to ensure that all registered candidates can sit for their ongoing Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations. This directive comes after reports surfaced of several headteachers barring students from entering examination rooms due to unpaid school fees and other charges.

Ministry Spokesperson Dr. Dennis Mugimba stated that Acting Minister Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo ordered that every UNEB-registered candidate must be allowed to take their exams. This is to prevent the disenfranchisement of students who have completed the registration process with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).

Instead of blocking students, headteachers are instructed to formally notify UNEB about candidates with outstanding fees. This will allow UNEB to withhold the results of these students until the fees are settled. The ministry emphasized that students allowed to sit for exams without clearing their dues will not face any additional penalties or surcharges.

This policy directive is rooted in the Education (Pre-Primary, Primary, and Post-Primary) Act, 2008, which empowers the Minister of Education to enforce national education policies and reforms. The move aims to uphold constitutional objectives and ensure fairness across all learning institutions.

Despite this directive, a candidate in Bugiri District was reportedly turned away on the first day of examinations over uncleared fees, highlighting the persistent challenges. Meanwhile, the examination period has also seen unique events, including a candidate in Soroti District successfully delivering a baby mid-exam, with both mother and child reported to be doing well.

A total of 503,214 candidates registered for the 2026 UCE examinations, which are being conducted under the Competency-Based Curriculum and will conclude on November 3.

This article is based on information from the Daily Monitor.