Dan Odongo (L) and another official during the press conference at which the schedule was announced
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has released the final timetables for the 2026 national examinations, with the number of registered candidates rising sharply to a record 1,627,885 learners.2026 candidature rises by 14.9% as UACE numbers register biggest increase
The timetable, released on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, shows that the number of learners reaching the national examination stage has increased by 211,437 compared with last year, representing a 14.9 per cent rise from 1,416,448 candidates registered in 2025.
UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo unveiled the examination schedules at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, while urging schools and candidates to rely only on the official timetable.
The increase means examination centres, schools and the examination body will have to handle the largest candidature in the history of Uganda’s national examinations.
UACE records biggest surge
The biggest increase has been recorded at Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) level, where candidature has risen by 22.5 per cent.
The number of UACE candidates has increased from 166,400 in 2025 to 203,875 this year, reflecting a rise of 37,475 learners.
The sharp increase at A-Level comes as the country continues to transition to new curricula at different levels of education.
At UCE level, this year’s candidates will include the third cohort being assessed under the Competency-Based Curriculum.
“The third cohort of learners whom we are assessing under the Competency-Based Curriculum,” Odongo said.
He added that the 2026 UACE candidates are pioneers of the new curriculum assessment, having been the first group to sit examinations under the revised curriculum in 2024.
Examination season starts October 8
The examination season will begin with UCE candidates. Their briefing is scheduled for Thursday, October 8, with the examinations running through November 3.
PLE candidates will be briefed on Friday, October 30, before their examinations run from October 30 to November 4.
At UACE level, candidates will be briefed on November 6, with written examinations scheduled to run from November 7 to December 5.
The overlapping examination periods will require schools to carefully manage candidates, examination materials and invigilation arrangements.
Girls continue to outnumber boys
The latest registration figures also show that female candidates continue to account for the larger share of learners reaching the national examination stage. Females constitute 52 per cent of the 1,627,885 registered candidates.
UNEB said the figures demonstrate that female learners continue to outnumber males among pupils and students who remain in school through to national examinations.
Government-sponsored learners also account for about 52 per cent of the candidates, reflecting the continued importance of universal education programmes in supporting access to schooling.
The 2026 candidature also includes 6,090 learners registered as having special educational needs.
UNEB warns against fake timetables
The release of the final timetable follows an earlier warning by UNEB over an unofficial examination schedule that had circulated online.
Odongo cautioned schools, candidates and parents against relying on documents that have not been issued by the examination body.
Heads of examination centres can download the official timetables through their respective school portals. UNEB will also distribute hard copies to schools alongside examination stationery.
Odongo directed schools to ensure that every candidate receives a copy of the timetable. The schedules will also be available through the UNEB website and its official social media platforms.
The UNEB chief further warned against individuals attempting to sell examination papers and fraudulent activities targeting the examination process. Schools were also cautioned against falsifying claims concerning candidates with special educational needs.
In addition, UNEB directed schools to complete submission of continuous assessment scores under the Competency-Based Curriculum by September 30.
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