The Minister of the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, has asked more than 1.6 million candidates sitting for the 2026 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) to remain confident, disciplined and honest as they undertake their national examinations.
In a post on her X handle on Sunday, Minister Babalanda encouraged candidates to trust in their preparation, manage their time wisely and carefully read examination questions as they seek to advance to the next stages of their academic journeys.
She also urged learners to avoid examination malpractice, saying their future should be built on genuine achievement, personal responsibility and values that promote responsible citizenship and national development.
“Your future must be built on genuine achievement, personal responsibility and the values that contribute to responsible citizenship and national development,” she said.
Minister Babalanda called on candidates to remain focused on their goals and seek God’s guidance throughout the examination period, citing Proverbs 16:3, which encourages believers to commit their work to the Lord.
She also drew encouragement from Philippians 4:13, which states: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
The minister wished the candidates wisdom, understanding, good health and peace of mind, expressing hope that their efforts would yield positive results and open doors to greater opportunities for them, their families and the country.
She commended teachers, parents, guardians, school administrators and officials of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) for their contribution to preparing learners for the examinations.
Minister Babalanda said education remains a key pillar of human capital development and socio-economic transformation, urging learners to embrace it as a foundation for personal growth, innovation and service to the country.
According to UNEB, UCE candidates will begin their examinations on Monday, October 12, with Geography in the morning and Biology theory in the afternoon.
The number of candidates registered for UCE examinations has increased by 16.4 per cent, from 432,163 in 2025 to 503,214 in 2026.
The Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) is scheduled to run from Friday, October 30, to Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
This will be followed by the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations, scheduled to begin on November 7 and conclude on December 5, 2026.
