UNEB Act Does Not Permit Supplementary Exams, Says Minister Chemutai

The Ministry of Education and Sports has maintained that the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) Act does not provide room for supplementary national examinations. Minister of State for Education and Sports (Primary), Hon. Phyllis Chemutai, addressed Parliament during a plenary sitting to clarify the matter.

The clarification followed concerns raised by Hon. Andrew Kiiza regarding learners who miss national exams due to unavoidable circumstances. According to the 2025 UNEB report, approximately 14,000 registered learners failed to sit for their examinations, forcing many to lose an entire academic year or drop out of school entirely.

However, Minister Chemutai explained that organizing supplementary exams is neither practical nor sustainable. She noted that a supplementary system is vulnerable to misuse and manipulation, which could encourage candidates to defer exams without valid reasons and disrupt the predictability of the academic calendar.

Furthermore, the minister highlighted the heavy financial and administrative burdens involved, noting that the existing examination calendar is already fully packed. Accommodating an extra cycle would strain resources and stretch the administrative capacity of the board.

Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth expressed concern over the strictness of the current law, remarking that it is harsh for students who miss exams due to situations beyond their control. Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi suggested that Parliament could amend the legislation to create exceptions for such cases if budgetary adjustments are addressed.

Read the full report on the Parliament of Uganda.