The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has officially commenced the 2025 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) today, October 31, 2025, beginning with the briefing of candidates at school premises and sitting centers nationwide. The examination is being conducted under the theme “Embracing security and holistic assessment of learners in a dynamic environment.”
Like the UCE examination currently underway, the PLE will also be conducted under the theme “Embracing security and holistic assessment of learners in a dynamic environment.”
On behalf of the UNEB Secretariat and the Board, I express profound gratitude to Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) for calling off their industrial action so that teachers are available, and able to participate in the important task of invigilation.
The PLE is the first national examination in the lives of our children.
The results of the examination go a long way in determining the educational future of the children.
The results must be derived from a fair process. It is imperative that the overall management of the examination, including invigilation, is done by professionals – the teachers, to guarantee the fairness and validity of the process.
I am glad that the leadership and membership of the Union saw this fact.
Our failure to support the learners at this critical stage of their educational journey would have impacted them in such a devastating manner that would have weighed heavily on our individual and collective conscience for a long time.
Overview of the Examination
Candidature
A total of 817,885 candidates registered for the examination this year, compared to 797,444 in 2024, indicating a percentage increase of 2.5%.
They registered from 16,140 examination Centers. 389,529 (48%) of the candidates are male, while 428,356 (52%) are female. A total of 522,039 (64%) of the candidates are funded by the government under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Program, while 295,846 (36%) are privately sponsored.
61 of the registered candidates are inmates from Upper Prison School Luzira.
Of these, 7 are female while 54 are male.
Speed Needs Education Candidature
3,644 candidates have special needs which require special interventions and support during the examination.
1,879 (51.5%) of these are male while 1,765 (48.5%) are female.
The Board has made the necessary arrangements to provide all the SNE candidates with the required support.
UNEB will avail braille question papers and answer sheets for the 33 blind candidates, large print question papers for 620 candidates with low vision, and sign language interpreters for the 300 deaf candidates.
A total of 1,318 learners with dyslexia and those with severe physical impairments (reading and writing challenges) will be supported by transcribers.
All the SNE candidates will be allowed 45 extra minutes for each paper.
A total of 1,505 support personnel have been deployed to provide the required support.
Scouts and invigilators are encouraged to be vigilant and look out for the sensitive needs of the SNE candidates and support them appropriately.
Support personnel sent by UNEB should also be accorded the necessary cooperation to enable them render the required support to the SNE candidates.
Field Personnel Deployed
59,890 field personnel have been deployed across the country to ensure the successful conduct the Examination.These include 160 District Monitors, 13,841 scouts, 12,260 Chief invigilators, 33,105 invigilators, and 524 security personnel.
The security team will monitor and ensure the security of the examination, the candidates and the field officers.
A call for Support from the Local Government
The field management of the PLE is a joint effort between UNEB and the local governments.
Together, we must share the concern for a smooth malpractice-free examination.
The Board, therefore, calls upon Chief Administrative Officers to provide the necessary support through promptly processing and availing the necessary funds, overseeing the distribution of examination papers by responsible district officials, prompt payments of invigilators and clamping down on cases of malpractice.
I applaud those CAOs who took firm action on heads of schools who promoted examination malpractice in their schools in the last examination.
This courageous act must continue in all districts.
The District Education Office is the implementing department and I appeal to the DEOs and DISs to work together for a smooth conduct of the examination.
This includes posting of invigilators to examination centres in accordance with the UNEB regulations.
Caution Against Involvement in Examination Malpractice
The Board strongly warns all persons contemplating involvement in any form of examination malpractice that they will be dealt with in accordance with the UNEB Act, Cap 259.
The public is warned that there are persons who have set up social media platforms and have been collecting money purportedly to access and supply PLE question papers.
Security agencies have arrested some of these, while others are on the run.
There may be other desperate persons who might try to circulate what they purport to be PLE papers.
Any person found doing so will be dealt with in accordance with Section 25 (1) (2) and (4) of the UNEB Act, which provides for a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment upon conviction, or a fine of forty million shillings, or both.
Invigilators and Scouts who negligently allow malpractice to take place under their watch will be dealt with under Section 26 (1) (g), which provides for a maximum term of imprisonment of five years upon conviction or a fine of twenty million shillings or both.
Members of the public with information that may lead to persons involved in suspected malpractice should call any of our toll free Numbers: o800-111-427; o800-211-077.The informant will be protected under the Board’s Whistle Blower’s policy. I appeal to persons providing such information to ensure that the information is credible.
It is also an offence to provide wrong information under the law governing whistle blowing.
Briefing of Candidates
The Board realizes that the act of registering secondary school students to sit PLE is being done at some centres for the purposes of impersonation or to project false “good” performance.
Our security team has arrested head teachers and directors of some of these schools, for example, Salama Education Centre Primary School in Kagadi district where five such students were found, and at Kasasa Primary School in Hoima where 15 such students were found.
Any other persons who will be discovered will face sanctions as provided for in the law, including loss of their examination center status.
We implore heads of Centers this afternoon to personally brief the candidates.
Head teachers should, among other things, inform the candidates of the circumstances that may lead to disqualification or cancellation of their results.
Such situations include but are not limited to; smuggling of unauthorized material into the examination room; copying from one another or collusion, external assistance given by teachers, invigilators or any other person; prior knowledge of examination questions; impersonation; as well as late coming.
Candidates should also be informed that they are expected to write their answers with blue or black ink pens, and NOT in Pencil, except for drawings.
Candidates are expected to be at the Examination Centers, at least 30 minutes before the start of the examination.
In the event that they are late, they should not go beyond 15 minutes after the start of the examination.
Where possible, parents are encouraged to attend the briefing sessions.
After the briefing, there must be no more teaching or coaching.
Finally, we would like to assure you, candidates, that you have what it takes to pass this examination.
The questions are drawn from what you have studied over the years.
Anyone trying to give you assistance during the course of the examination, will cause the cancellation of your results.
Please remain calm, confident, and follow the instructions.
We pray for God’s blessing upon you and equally ask your parents, religious leaders, as well as well-wishers to continue praying for you.
May God bless our candidates and those involved in the conduct of the examination, and may God bless our Country.
For God and my Country.
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