The 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations commenced on Monday, with 3,554 candidates registered to sit the exams in Gulu City. However, at least seven students from two secondary schools in the city missed the exams. The absentee candidates were from Charity College Gulu, a private secondary school, and Gulu Army Senior Secondary School, a government-aided institution.
According to Jerose Adoch, deputy headteacher of Charity College Gulu, five registered candidates from her school failed to turn up for the examinations. The school's inquiries established that one student was serving a prison sentence for offences committed outside the school, while another was undergoing rehabilitation for drug abuse. Another student had misused money intended to pay school fees, while two others failed to report for the examinations for reasons that remained unclear.
Attempts to reach the parents of the absent students were unsuccessful, Adoch said. She added that although about a quarter of the school's candidates had outstanding fees by Monday morning, management had not barred any student from sitting the examinations over unpaid fees. The school had negotiated alternative arrangements with parents to clear fee arrears, including immediate cash payments or contributions in kind through livestock or labour provided by parents or students.
Richard Kibwota Okidi, the senior education officer and acting Gulu city education officer, confirmed that two candidates had also missed the examinations at Gulu Army Senior Secondary School. One of the candidates, a female student, had become pregnant and failed to report for the examinations despite being asked to attend. The other candidate, a male student, had dropped out of school, and his whereabouts remained unknown, Okidi said.
Despite the absenteeism, Okidi said the examinations had commenced smoothly, with all examination centres opening on time and no major incidents reported. Gulu City has 37 secondary schools participating in the UCE examinations, comprising seven government-aided and 30 private institutions. The government-aided schools include St Joseph's College Layibi and Sacred Heart Secondary School.
According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), a total of 503,214 candidates registered for the 2026 UCE examinations, representing a 16.4 per cent increase from the 432,163 candidates registered in 2025. The UNEB data indicates a growing interest in education among Ugandan students. The UCE examinations are a crucial milestone in the country's education system.
The seven students who missed the exams in Gulu city are part of a larger trend of absenteeism in the country's education system. Education officials are working to address the underlying issues, including poverty, lack of access to education, and teenage pregnancy. The authorities are also exploring ways to support students who are facing challenges in accessing education.
Key points
- Seven students in Gulu city missed the 2026 UCE exams due to various reasons, including imprisonment and pregnancy.
- A total of 503,214 candidates registered for the 2026 UCE examinations, representing a 16.4 per cent increase from 2025.
- The UCE examinations commenced smoothly in Gulu City, with all examination centres opening on time and no major incidents reported.
