Student leaders plead for learners who missed UCE exams
Kinobere revealed that he has written to the Ministry of Education and Sports to reconsider their position on the matter.
Jonathan Onesmas Kinobere, an aspiring president of the Uganda National Students Association (UNSA), and other members address journalists during a press conference on October 16, 2026. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)
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Student leaders under the Uganda National Students’ Association (UNSA) have appealed to the government to intervene and support students who missed sitting their 2026-2027 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams after school administrators failed to register them.
The sentiments were raised by Onesmas Jonathan Kinobere, the Guild President of Ernest Cook University, as he launched his bid for the UNSA presidency.
This comes after over 48 schools were left without a single candidate to sit for UCE exams, with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) asserting that they did not register the candidates.
Jonathan Onesmas Kinobere, an aspiring president of the Uganda National Students Association (UNSA), addresses journalists during a press conference on October 16, 2026. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)
Kinobere revealed that he has written to the Ministry of Education and Sports to reconsider their position on the matter.
“We call for urgent intervention on behalf of students who missed the UCE exams for the academic year 2026-2027 due to failure by their school administrators to register them,” he said during a press briefing at Centenary Park on October 16.
Nationally, 503,214 candidates registered for UCE exams, which commenced on October 12 with Mathematics and Chemistry papers.
There were 46 PTCs; of which 23 were core and 23 were non-core. The Government has since phased out the non-core PTCs and repurposed them into secondary schools and TVET (Technical, Vocational, Education and Training) institutes. The core PTCs are serving as training grounds for the five regional Uganda National Institute for Teacher Education (UNITE) campuses.
Kinobere called on the government to develop practical measures to support students at universities to improve their welfare and mental health, saying many learners were grappling with hunger in hostels and stress.
He further called for greater inclusion of students with disabilities, arguing that their needs extend beyond the provision of basic necessities.
“Activities which make them feel loved and respected are crucial, and they are an integral part of society, and they should feel it,” Kinobere said.