Kampala, Uganda | URN | School fees disputes and morning rains disrupted the start of the 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations on Monday, with some candidates facing the threat of being locked out over unpaid balances while headteachers in several districts struggled to collect examination papers on time.
At Mother Land Academy in Nabweru, candidate Gift Winnie Nalukwago was nearly denied access to the examination room over an outstanding school fees balance of Shs600,000 before security officers intervened. The tearful candidate was eventually allowed to sit the examination as her classmates prepared to begin their first paper.
A security officer told Uganda Radio Network that school authorities had been warned against denying registered candidates access to national examinations over unpaid fees. “I don’t understand how headteachers think. A child who has studied for four years at a school, or even just a year, cannot be denied exams over that money when there is an option of withholding their results. If they had not allowed her, we were going to arrest them,” the officer said.
The confrontation came despite repeated guidance from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) that registered candidates should be allowed to sit their examinations, with schools able to pursue outstanding fees through other means.A similar standoff unfolded at Charity College, a private school in Gulu City, where parents and candidates were still negotiating with school administrators at 8:40 am.
The school’s deputy headteacher, Jerose Adoch, told Uganda Radio Network that about a quarter of its 200 registered candidates had not cleared their fees and other requirements. Adoch said the school had offered some candidates an opportunity to sit the examinations after their parents signed undertakings to pay later, either in cash or through livestock and labour. However, she warned that some learners could still be locked out because the school needed money to meet its operational expenses.
In Kumi, District Education Officer Sarah Adongo said schools had been advised to allow all registered candidates to sit their examinations and resolve outstanding fees later. “We have talked to them and agreed that the schools should allow students to do the examination because during the release of those results, the schools can block the students from accessing their results until they are cleared,” Adongo said. In the greater Masaka sub-region, however, headteachers largely complied with the examination guidelines.
UNEB scout David Bbaale in Rakai said the examinations started smoothly after some parents signed commitments to clear outstanding balances later. Greater Masaka Regional Police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye also reported no interruptions linked to school fees disputes. Morning rains disrupted the collection and distribution of examination papers in Kampala and other parts of the country, threatening the scheduled 9 am start. At Jinja Road Police Station, which serves 21 schools in Kololo, Luzira, Kibuli and Bugolobi, headteachers were still queuing to collect examination materials at 8:45 am.
Kololo Secondary School headteacher Betty Mwesigwa Nakyanzi said the weather had delayed their preparations despite candidates being ready for the examination. “We are late for the first paper due to the morning rain. We are running out of time. The students are prepared, but we shall find them waiting,” Nakyanzi said. UNEB supervisor Jolly Kiconco explained that schools located farther away were prioritised during the collection process. She later confirmed that all morning papers for the 21 examination centres had been collected despite the weather challenges.
In Luwero, Wobulenzi, Bombo and Zirobwe, headteachers braved the rain from about 7:30 am to collect examination papers, with the process extending beyond 8 am. Candidates, including those who had spent the night in school dormitories, nevertheless reported for their examinations. Overnight downpours in Arua and other parts of West Nile left day scholars struggling along muddy roads. However, Destiny Secondary School, which had 59 candidates, and other schools managed to start on time.
Mvara Secondary School headteacher and regional coordinator Eliakim Matua described the overall start of the examinations in the region as good. In Soroti City, sorting and distributing papers for schools located farther away kept some headteachers waiting beyond 8 am. Serere District Inspector of Schools Cyprian Okedi said advance collection of examination materials on Sunday evening had helped prevent major delays.
In Kabale District, examination materials were released under tight police and military security from 8:30 am, with no major hitches reported across 28 examination centres serving 1,521 candidates. Schools, including Bishop Kivengyere Girls, St Charles Kicumbi, Hornby High School, Solberg College and St Mary’s College Rushoroza, reported readiness for the examinations. St Mary’s College Rushoroza had 319 candidates, while Hornby High School had two blind candidates supported by Braille assistants.
In Hoima City, 4,775 candidates were expected to sit their examinations at 36 centres, with 75 invigilators deployed. Examination supervisor Senkomi Sekomeya urged candidates and school administrators to observe the rules against examination malpractice.
At Kawempe Police Station, chief invigilator Kennedy reminded headteachers to keep school gates open for UNEB scouts, remain present at their respective centres, secure unused examination papers under their control, and ensure candidate photo albums were available. Haji Lumu Abdul Hamid of Mbogo Secondary School in Kawanda said his examination centre was fully prepared following the necessary briefings. In Nabweru, the area supervisor raised concerns about some recommended invigilators who were allegedly not teachers, calling for closer scrutiny of their applications.
The supervisor also cautioned UNEB scouts against harassing candidates over minor issues during the examinations. Despite the school fees confrontations and weather-related delays in some areas, most examination centres reported that candidates had turned up and preparations were progressing under heightened security as the 2026 UCE examinations got underway.
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