UNEB Releases 2022 National Examinations’ schedule

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has set October – December 2022 as the period for conducting the national examinations.

This was revealed by Dan N Odongo the Executive Secretary during the release of the 2022 Examination Timetables.

The Board has released the schedule of key dates and activities prior to the final conduct of the 2022 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations.

Odongo told journalists on Thursday that the normal registration of candidates at all levels (PLE, UCE and UACE) commences this month and will go on until 31^st May 2022.

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 2022.

He, however, noted that late registration attracts a surcharge of 50% of the total registration fees at UCE and UACE levels and a 100% surcharge at the PLE level.

The Board has maintained the registration fees for candidates at all levels. PLE candidates will pay Shs34,000, UCE Shs164,000 and UACE Shs186,000.

“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),” says Odongo.

He warned school directors against charging additional fees that are not levied by the Board.

“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.”

He added that the person convicted shall pay back the amount that is not prescribed by UNEB to the concerned students or the sponsors of the students and 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.

UNEB equally cautioned Heads of centres or their representatives authorized 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,” Odongo added.

The Board is currently carrying out the 2nd phase of validation of examination centres while the 3rd phase of centre validation will take place in April 2022.

Odongo says that 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 will take place starting 1^st August to 30^th September, 2022.

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 2022, 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 2022.

He urged the parents of those students who are studying in schools that do not have UNEB centre status 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. UOOOO/OOO and send to 6600. The is available on MTN and AIRTEL networks.”

According to Odongo, 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, the Executive Secretary says it should be brought to the attention of the school, which will then forward the query to UNEB for amendment by September 30, 2022. After this date, all candidates’ data will be presumed to be correct, and no further changes shall be made.

He added that during the time of display, concerned parties should keenly look out for; 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 and subjects offered by the candidate – UCE and UACE candidates should ensure that the subjects being offered are all indicated.

He also warned that 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 the 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,” he said.

   UCE examinations shall start on 14^th October and end on 18^th  November 2022, PLE shall begin on 7^th to 9^th November, while UACE will begin on 18^th November and end on 9^th December 2022.

Detailed timetables for the three examinations will be issued by 31st August, 2022.