The Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) recently confirmed 63 cases of examination malpractice during the 2025 UCE exams. Executive Director Mr. Dan Odongo released the official results at State House Nakasero on Friday, February 13, 2026. During the event, he addressed several integrity concerns. He noted that the new curriculum’s question format makes cheating quite difficult. However, some individuals still tried to bypass the rules.
Specifically, these cases of examination malpractice appeared mostly in Mathematics and science practical papers. According to Mr. Odongo, investigators found overwhelming evidence of teacher interference. These teachers provided experimental results for students to copy directly into their tables. In these instances, the student’s design did not match their recorded results. This happens because the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) requires unique investigations. Therefore, inconsistent data becomes immediately obvious to examiners.
Beyond the issues of examination malpractice, UNEB conducted a survey of 36,546 candidates. Interestingly, 96.3 percent of these students said the exam items stayed within the syllabus. Furthermore, 74.7 percent of the respondents felt the allocated time was adequate. Regarding the difficulty level, 66.4 percent described the exams as fair. These survey findings align with general performance data. Most students achieved a “Satisfactory” competence level of C.
The 2025 cycle saw a massive increase in the student population. A total of 432,163 candidates registered, marking a 20.2 percent rise from 2024. Among these students, females made up the majority at 52.7 percent. Additionally, 154,642 students benefited from the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme. Despite the higher numbers, the rate of absenteeism continued to drop. About 99.5 percent of registered candidates appeared for their papers.
Ultimately, UNEB remains committed to eliminating examination malpractice. This focus maintains the credibility of Uganda’s national certificates. The board uses scenario-based questions to make traditional cheating methods obsolete. Although 63 cases were reported, the vast majority of students followed the guidelines. This focus on integrity ensures that transcripts truly reflect a student’s individual competence.
READ: UNEB Releases 2025 UCE Results Showing Major Improvement
