The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has released the timetables for the 2026 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams. A total of 1,627,885 candidates have registered to sit the national examinations. According to UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo, the 2026 national examination cycle will officially begin on Thursday, October 8, 2026, with the briefing of UCE candidates.
The briefing for UCE candidates will mark the beginning of the examination period for learners at the secondary level. Primary school candidates will follow on Friday, October 30, 2026, when PLE candidates will be briefed ahead of their examinations. UACE candidates will then have their briefing on Friday, November 6, 2026, marking the start of the Advanced Level examination cycle.
The 2026 UCE candidates will be the third cohort to be assessed under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at the lower secondary level. Their assessment will follow an examination approach aligned with the competency-based system. Similarly, UACE candidates, who are among the pioneer cohorts that studied under the CBC at the lower secondary level, will have their assessment take into consideration the curriculum and learning approach introduced under the competency-based education system.
Dan Odongo has urged schools to ensure that every candidate receives a copy of the examination timetable. He also directed schools to display the timetables on their noticeboards so that candidates, parents, and other interested parties can easily access the information. Head of Centres can access the timetables from their school portals, and UNEB has also availed hard copies of the timetables along with other stationery.
The number of candidates registered for the 2026 examinations has increased across all three examination categories. PLE registration has risen from 818,885 candidates in 2025 to 920,796 this year, while UCE candidates have increased from 432,165 to 503,214. UACE has also recorded a significant increase, with the number of candidates rising from 166,400 in 2025 to 203,875 in 2026.
The increase in candidate numbers brings the total number of learners registered for the three national examinations to 1,627,885. UNEB has urged schools to use the released timetables as part of their final preparations and ensure that candidates are fully informed about the examination dates. The Board is expected to provide further guidance as the country prepares for the 2026 national examination season.
Schools have been advised to ensure that every candidate receives a copy of the examination timetable and that the timetables are displayed on their noticeboards. With the released timetables, candidates, parents, and other interested parties can easily access the information. UNEB has printed enough copies for all UCE and UACE candidates, and head of centres can access the timetables from their school portals.
Key points
- The 2026 national examination cycle will officially begin on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
- A total of 1,627,885 candidates have registered to sit the national examinations.
- The number of candidates registered for the 2026 examinations has increased across all three examination categories.
