PLE marking complete, results to be released on time

KAMPALA - The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has finalised the marking exercise for the 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), officials have revealed.

Subsequently, the assessment board has embarked on the quality assurance processes, which officials say will be concluded in the shortest time possible for the timely release of PLE results after the Presidential and parliamentary elections.

Currently, UNEB is undertaking data entry, checking of marks and adjudication as well as grading, which will be concluded in two weeks.

Once concluded, the board will then brief the First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports, Mrs. Janet Museveni, on the learners’ performance, who will then approve the date of release.

The previous PLE results were released on January 23, 2025, and sources who spoke on anonymity grounds indicated that a similar time range will be adopted this year.

The source added that the results will be released on time to allow students to enrol early for senior one.

When contacted, Jennifer Kalule-Musamba, the UNEB Principal Public Relations Officer, confirmed the development on Wednesday.

“The marking of the PLE was concluded, and the markers have since gone back home. Currently, we are handling quality assurance. The date of release will be announced once the processes have been concluded and after briefing our minister,” she said.

She cautioned the public against unscrupulous people and impostors who have been conning headteachers and school directors of money, on the pretext that they can either improve the grades of candidates or remove schools from the list of those suspected to have been involved in examination malpractice.

“These fraudsters falsely claim to be members of the UNEB Security Committee. UNEB cautions heads of examination centres at all levels against involvement with such impostors. The Board does not condone such a vice, and we appeal to the public to report such cases to the police or inform us on the toll-free freelines 0800211077 or 0800-111-427,” she said.

A total of 817,885 candidates registered for the 2025 PLE series compared to 797,444 in 2024, representing a percentage increase of 2.5%.

The candidates were registered from 16,140 examination centres.

Of the total, 389,529 were male, while 428,356 were female.

A total of 522,039 (64%) of the candidates are funded by the government under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme, while 295,846 (36%) are privately sponsored.

Some 61 of the registered candidates were inmates from Upper Prison School Luzira. Of these, 7 are female while 54 are male.

School Calendar, S1 reporting date

Relatedly, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, the education ministry permanent secretary, has reaffirmed that they will stick to plans on school reopening as announced last month, urging the public not to follow false information.

According to the education ministry-approved school calendar for 2026, children in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools will report for the first term on February 2, 2026.

The term will run for 89 days, and it will be concluded on Friday, May 1, 2026.

The two-day selection and placement exercise for senior one is expected to start on January 29, 2026, while that of senior five will kick off on February 12, 2026.

On the other hand, the S1 students will report for the first term on February 16, 2026, while the senior five will report on February 23, 2026.

As part of the calendar, the education ministry has banned all schools, including boarding sections, from teaching during designated holidays without the written permission of the Permanent Secretary.

In addition, school time will start at 8:00am and end at 4:30pm for Primary and secondary schools, and from 8:00am to 12:00pm for pre-primary schools.

In the ministry circular dated November 24, 2025, Dr. Turyagyenda warned that non-adherence to this calendar will attract disciplinary action against the implicated head of school.

“School open-days, visitation days and other annual functions during the school term should be set by individual schools and institutions, in consultations with the management of neighbouring schools/institutions to avoid clashes and congestion,” Turyagyenda said.

“Management of these functions should adhere to the guidelines for safe conduct of entertainment and co-curricular activities and election of student leaders in pre-primary, primary and post-primary schools and institutions. Schools and institutions should sensitise parents and other stakeholders about the school calendar.”