KAMPALA – The Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) has announced that May 31, marks the final day for the normal registration period for the 2024 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) based on both the New and Old Curricula, and the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams. UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo highlighted the importance of timely registration and urged all Heads of Centres to ensure their candidates are registered by midnight tonight.
As of Friday morning, a total of 1,172,114 candidates had registered for the PLE, UCE (New Curriculum), and UACE exams. This figure includes 754,076 candidates for PLE, surpassing last year’s total of 749,347. At the UCE level for the New Curriculum, 303,951 candidates have registered compared to 364,459 last year, representing submissions from 83 percent of UCE centres. For UACE, 114,087 candidates have registered, slightly higher than last year’s 110,569.
Odongo emphasized the significance of this registration period: “This is a critical moment for ensuring that all students who are eligible and prepared for these examinations are properly registered. We have seen an increase in numbers, which is encouraging, but we need to ensure that no one is left behind.”
For the UCE Transitional Examination (UCE-TE) based on the Old Curriculum, over 3,000 candidates have registered. This one-off examination opportunity targets specific groups, including those seeking to improve their grades, those whose 2023 results were canceled, and adults over 20 years old who did not previously sit for PLE. The government will cover registration fees for candidates from Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools who sat for PLE in 2018.
Odongo reiterated the urgency of the situation, stating, “This is the final call for Heads of Centres to register their candidates before the normal registration period ends. Those who miss this window will face a surcharge for late registration.”
The registration fees for this period are UGX 34,000 for PLE, UGX 164,000 for UCE, and UGX 186,000 for UACE. UNEB advises careful verification of candidates’ bio-data to avoid errors, with specific attention to the spelling and order of names, date of birth, gender, and institutional choices. High-resolution photographs must be attached to each candidate’s record. Amendments after submission will incur a fee and require proper documentation, including a birth certificate and parental consent for changes to name or date of birth.
New examination centres that have applied will receive invitations for training and a separate registration deadline. Odongo expressed gratitude for the efforts of candidates, parents, teachers, and school inspectors in the registration process, concluding with a message of encouragement: “May God bless all your endeavors as we strive to provide a smooth and efficient registration process for all our candidates.”
As the deadline approaches, UNEB remains committed to ensuring a seamless registration process, underscoring the importance of adhering to the set timelines and guidelines to facilitate a successful examination period for all candidates. For feedback, write to info@c-news.ug.