UNEB Releases [PLE,UCE And UACE] Examination Activities and Calendar

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has set October – December 2023 as the period for conducting the national examinations. Accordingly, the Board hereby releases the calendar/schedule of key dates and activities prior to the final conduct of the 2023 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations.

Registration of candidates

The normal registration of candidates at all levels (PLE, UCE and UACE) commences this month of February and will go on until 31^st May, 2023. For candidates who may miss registering during the normal period, a period has been set for late registration, starting from 1^st to 30^th June, 2023. Late registration, however, attracts a surcharge of 50% of the total registration fees at UCE and UACE levels, and 100% surcharge at PLE level.

Registration Fees

The Board has maintained the registration fees for candidates at all levels as follows:

Level of Examination	Normal registration Fees (UGX)	Sur-charge for late registration	Total late registration fees (UGX)
PLE	34,000/=	100%	68,000/=
UCE	164,000/=	50%	246,000/=
UACE	186,000/=	50%	279,000/=

As it has always been the case, the government will pay the registration fees for all the candidates sponsored under any of the three programs of Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE) and the Universal Post-O level Education and Training program (UPOLET).

Charging Fees not Prescribed by UNEB

According to the UNEB Act 2021, Section 33, it is an offence to charge fees not prescribed by UNEB and refer to them as UNEB fees. Heads of centres and School Directors are therefore urged to desist from referring to any other administrative costs as UNEB fees. Such an offence attracts a penalty of two thousand currency points (Forty Million Shillings) or a term of imprisonment not exceeding ten years or both. Additionally, the person convicted shall pay back the amount that is not prescribed by UNEB to the concerned students or the sponsors of the students. The Board may also withdraw the examination centre, and where the person convicted is a registered teacher, the person shall be disciplined under the relevant laws regulating the teaching profession.

Misappropriation of Examination Registration Fees

UNEB equally cautions Heads of centres or their representatives authorised to collect examination registration fees to ensure that all the UNEB registration fees are remitted to the Board and the students registered for the examination. Anyone who fails to do so commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding two thousand currency points (forty million shillings) or a term of imprisonment not exceeding ten years or both as provided in Section 32 of the UNEB Act 2021. Such a person shall also pay back the money collected to the concerned students or their sponsors and compensate them accordingly. Where the person convicted is a registered teacher, the person shall be disciplined under the relevant laws regulating the teaching profession.

Validation of Examination Centres

The other activity currently underway this month is the 2^nd phase of validation of examination centres while the 3^rd phase of centre validation will take place in April 2023. Schools that wish to expand their centre capacity or apply for new centres are encouraged to apply online for consideration using the following link: https://eservices.uneb.ac.ug/es/cinsp/startprocess

Display of Candidates’ registers/Slips (1^st August – 30^th September, 2023)

At the end of the registration period, schools will be required to display the candidates’ registers/slips for 60 days from 1^st August to 30^th September, 2023, as provided for in the UNEB Act 2021 S.4(2).

The candidates’ registers/slips must be displayed in a conspicuous place accessible by any interested party including but not limited to candidates, parents, District officials and any other relevant authorities. The display of the candidates’ register/slips starts on 1^st August – 30^th September, 2023.

The parents of those students who are studying in schools that do not have UNEB centre status are urged to find out from the school headteachers where these students have been registered and ensure that they have been duly registered. This is important to avoid the unfortunate scenario where students are discovered unregistered at the start of the examination. At the end of the registration period, UNEB will make it possible for parents to check the registration status of their children through the Short Message Service (SMS). It is important to know the index number given to the candidate. Please go to the Message menu, then type Reg, leave a space then type the correct index number of the candidate, e.g. U0000/000 and send to 6600. The service is available on MTN and AIRTEL networks.

The display period will also be used to correct any anomalies concerning the information details of the learners. Parents and concerned parties are advised to cross check and confirm that the candidates are registered for the examination, and that the data provided is accurate. If any anomaly is noticed, it should be brought to the attention of the school, which will then forward the query to UNEB for amendment by September 30, 2023. After this date, all candidates’ data will be presumed to be correct, and no further changes shall be made.

Details to look out for during the display:

During the time of display, concerned parties should keenly look out for the following:

Candidate’s Names and Index Number – check for correct spelling and order on names
Candidate’s photograph – should be of good quality as per the prescribed resolution
Date of birth – check for correctness as per the prescribed format (Date/Month/Year)
Gender- ensure that the correct gender is highlighted
Subjects offered by the candidate – UCE and UACE candidates should ensure that the subjects being offered are all indicated.

Registering private candidates as Government sponsored candidates

It is becoming common for heads of UPE, USE and UPOLET centres to collect examination fees from private candidates but register these as government-sponsored candidates. This is a fraudulent practice which causes financial loss to government. Any head of an examination centre or school director discovered to have indulged in this practice shall pay twice the amount that has been defrauded. Relevant laws on fraud will be applied on such a headteacher/director and in addition, the examination centre number of the school shall be withdrawn.

Summary of the Key activities/ Calendar for 2023

Month	2023 PLE/UCE/UACE Planned activities	Proposed dates/Comments
January	· Internal preparations by UNEB
February 2023	· Training of New Examination Center heads on use of Registration software
· Validation of Centers – Phase II	7^th – 22^nd February, 2023
· Commencement of Normal registration for 2023 PLE/UCE/UACE candidates	Guidelines have been issued to examination centers.
· Receiving application for the 3^rd phase of center Validation	Closing date is 18^th March 2023
March to May 2022	· Validation of Centers – Phase III	1^st – 14^th April, 2023
· Closing of Normal registration of candidates	31^st May, 2023
· Late Registration of 2023 PLE/UCE/UACE candidates	1^st – 30^th June, 2023 (50% surcharge for UCE & UACE; 100% for PLE)
July to September 2023	· Invitation of Examiners PLE/UCE/UACE Trainees
· Display of candidates registers (Registration slips)	1^st August – 30^th Sept, 2023
· Training of new Examiners	20^th – 31^st August, 2023
October to December 2023	· Field Conduct of UCE, PLE, & UACE Examinations	UCE: 14^th Oct. – 18^th Nov., 2023 PLE: 7^th– 9^th Nov. 2023 UACE: 18^th Nov. – 9^th Dec., 2023

Detailed timetables for the three examinations will be issued by 31^st August, 2023.

Finally, the Board would like to urge all concerned parties to take note of the above dates and comply accordingly.

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