A total of 503,055 candidates have started their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations at 4,514 centres across the country, according to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
The candidates include 264,722 females and 238,333 males, with 906 learners registered under Special Needs Education (SNE).
Of the total number, 187,918 candidates, representing 37.3 per cent, are sponsored by the government under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme, while 315,132 are privately sponsored.
The examinations started with Mathematics Paper One in the morning, followed by General Science, which comprises Chemistry Papers One and Two, in the afternoon.
This year’s examinations are being conducted under the theme: “Advancing Excellence in Assessment and Certification through Secure, Credible, Inclusive and Innovative Processes.”
UNEB has warned candidates against examination malpractice, saying anyone found engaging in the vice risks having their results for the entire examination cancelled, even if the offence occurs in only one paper.
“Candidates must be informed that involvement in malpractice in one paper shall lead to the cancellation of results of the whole examination, and therefore, I implore Heads of Centres to diligently carry out this exercise of briefing without delegating it,” UNEB warned.
The examination body has urged heads of examination centres to personally brief candidates on the rules and regulations before the examinations. The measure is intended to ensure that candidates understand the requirements and avoid actions that could jeopardise their results.
 examinations at 4,514 centres across the country, according to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).){kind=link}