A WORD FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

Hello and welcome to UNEB.

The Uganda National Examinations Board ( UNEB) was initially established by an Act of Parliament in 1983, Cap 137 of the Laws of Uganda; legalizing all actions taken with effect from 1st July 1980 when it effectively started operating. This law was repealed and replaced by the UNEB Act No. 1, 2021.

The Board is a body corporate mandated to conduct and manage examinations in Uganda for the end of the educational cycle at Primary and Secondary school level: and to conduct examination-related research. We aspire to be ‘a Recognized Centre of Globally Competitive Educational Assessment and Certification’. The Mission of the Board is to Conduct Valid, Reliable, Equitable and Quality Assessment of Learners’ Achievements in a Professional and Innovative Manner and Award Internationally Recognized Certificates.

Section 6 of the UNEB Act 2021 provides for a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister responsible for Education. The composition represents the various interest groups/stakeholders in the Sector and the Public. There are 13 members on the Board of Directors and the Executive Director is the Secretary to the Board, as well as the Accounting Officer.

The Board operates through seven Committees, namely: Finance and General Purposes, the Examinations Committee, the Human Resources Committee, The Examinations Security Committee. The Examinations Research Committee, The ICT Committee, and The Audit Committee.

The Secretariat is headed by the Executive Director assisted by five Directors who head five Directorate that include; Directorate of Examinations, Directorate of Human Resources and Administration, Directorate of Finance, Planning and Projects, the Directorate of Research and Development, as well as the Directorate of Technology and Reprographics.

In executing its duties, the Board is guided by its core values that of Accountability, Confidentiality, Teamwork, Innovativeness and Professionalism. The Board also works to strengthen inclusive assessment to ensure not just equality, but also equity while undertaking assessment.

Prof. Celestino Obua

Chairperson

WHAT WE DO

The Uganda National Examinations Board ( UNEB) was initially established by an Act of Parliament in 1983, Cap 137 of the Laws of Uganda; legalizing all actions taken with effect from 1st July 1980 when it effectively started operating. This law was repealed and replaced by the UNEB Act No. 1, 2021.

It is mandated to conduct and manage examinations in Uganda for the end of the educational cycle at Primary and Secondary school level, as well as to conduct examination-related research.

STATUTORY FUNCTIONS OF UNEB

  1. conduct primary, secondary, and such other examinations within Uganda as it may consider desirable in the public interest;
  2. publish past examination papers;
  3. award certificates to successful candidates in such examinations;
  4. invite anybody or bodies outside Uganda, as it may think fit, and to jointly conduct academic and other examinations;
  5. award acceptable certificates to successful candidates jointly with the invited bodies;
  6. invite other bodies, as it may think fit, to conduct examinations and award acceptable certificates or diplomas;
  7. advise anybody or bodies so invited under paragraph (f) upon the adoption of examinations necessary for the requirements of Uganda and to assist any such body or bodies to conduct such examinations;
  8. make arrangements for the conduct of research and development of examination systems;
  9. make rules regulating the conduct of examinations and for all purposes incidental thereto.

Programs undertaken by UNEB

  • Assessment and Certification of Primary Leaving Examination
  • Assessment and Certification of Uganda Certificate of Education
  • Assessment and Certification of Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education
  • Equating of Results of Foreign Qualifications (PLE, UCE & UACE)
  • Verification of results for PLE, UCE and UACE
  • National Assessment of Progress in Education (P.3, P.6, and S.2)
  • Research geared to improvement in the quality of assessment and certification

The UNEB Examination Cycle

  • Registration of candidates
  • Accreditation of Examination Centers
  • Identifying and training of new Examiners
  • Training of new examiners
  • Preparation of question papers (setting, moderation, compilation, typesetting, proofing and banking)
  • Printing and packing done in-house by staff resident in the Printery hostel under strict security measures
  • Stakeholder engagements (field staff – Inspectors, Area and Centre Supervisors and personnel from Security agencies
  • Field Conduct of Examinations
  • Marking of examination scripts
  • Release of results and certification