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Key Facts
- What is happening Uganda’s examinations board says 920,833 pupils are sitting the Primary Leaving Examinations on Tuesday, 3 November and Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
- Why it matters The exam is the gateway from primary to secondary school, and this year’s class is about 12.6% larger than last year’s.
- The numbers Candidates rose by 102,950, or about 12.6%, from the 817,883 registered in 2025; the board’s provisional list in June showed 844,341.
- Who is who The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) sets and marks the exam, and spokesperson Jennifer Kalule-Musamba says registration is complete and the board is ready.
- What to watch The release of results, which came on 30 January last year, and any malpractice cases UNEB investigates after the papers.
- What it means for you The class size is a gauge of Uganda’s fast-growing young population, which drives demand for schools, jobs and aid.
More than 920,000 Ugandan pupils are sitting the national exam that ends primary school this week. The class is about 12.6% larger than last year’s.
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What Is Happening This Week
Uganda’s national examinations board, UNEB, says 920,833 pupils are sitting the 2026 Primary Leaving Examinations. The papers began on Tuesday, 3 November, and finish on Wednesday, 4 November.
Candidates were briefed on Friday, 30 October, before the papers started. UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule-Musamba said registration was complete and the board was ready.
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The Primary Leaving Examinations, known as PLE, mark the end of primary school. Their results help decide pupils’ places in secondary school.
How Big Is the Class
UNEB’s 2025 results statement says 817,883 pupils registered for last year’s PLE. This year’s 920,833 is 102,950 more, a rise of about 12.6%.
UNEB’s provisional count on 15 June 2026 was 844,341 PLE candidates. The final list is 76,492 higher, after normal registration was extended to 30 June and a late window ran to 31 July.
On the June count, 52.6% of candidates were girls, and 64% were in the government’s free primary programme. That programme, Universal Primary Education, covers pupils in state-funded schools.
What Happened to Last Year’s Class
UNEB’s statement on the 2025 results, dated 30 January 2026, says 807,313 of the 817,883 registered candidates sat the exam. That left 10,570 absent, or 1.3%.
Of those who sat, 11.39% (91,990 candidates) earned Division 1, the top grade band. In all, 90.45% reached Divisions 1 to 4, and 9.55% were ungraded.
UNEB also said it was withholding the results of some 2025 candidates while it investigated malpractice. It named districts where most cases arose, and no individual is accused here.
In Plain English
- PLE: the Primary Leaving Examinations, the national exam taken at the end of primary school.
- UNEB: the Uganda National Examinations Board, which sets, supervises and marks national exams.
- Division 1: the top of four grade bands used to report PLE results; Division 4 is the lowest pass.
- Universal Primary Education: Uganda’s programme of free primary schooling in state-funded schools.
What It Means for US Readers
Uganda’s pupil numbers show a fast-growing young population that presses on schools, jobs and public budgets. That is a background factor for US aid, trade and migration planning.
Related Rio Times reports cover who runs Uganda’s economy and Uganda’s food insecurity. Background is in the Uganda explainer and on the Uganda hub.
What Is Not Known
UNEB’s website was unreachable on 4 November, so the figure of 920,833 rests on the board’s statements in the Ugandan press. The number of centres and monitors deployed is not confirmed here.
UNEB has not announced when it will release the 2026 results. Last year’s came on 30 January.
What Comes Next
UNEB’s advanced-level exams for senior six students follow the primary papers. The board has not been quoted here on exact dates.
PLE marking follows, and the results decide the next step for 920,833 pupils. Any malpractice findings would normally be announced with the results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pupils are sitting Uganda’s 2026 PLE?
UNEB says 920,833 candidates are sitting the Primary Leaving Examinations. That is about 12.6% more than the 817,883 registered in 2025.
When are the 2026 exams?
The papers began on Tuesday, 3 November, and finish on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Candidates were briefed on Friday, 30 October.
What is the PLE?
The Primary Leaving Examinations are Uganda’s national exam at the end of primary school. Results help decide places in secondary school.
How did last year’s candidates do?
In 2025, 11.39% of those who sat earned Division 1, and 90.45% reached Divisions 1 to 4. UNEB withheld some results over malpractice.
When will the results come out?
UNEB has not announced a date for the 2026 results. The 2025 results were released on 30 January 2026.
Sources: Uganda National Examinations Board, 2025 PLE statement of release, 30 January 2026; UNEB, provisional candidature for PLE, UCE and UACE 2026 as of 15 June 2026; UNEB, normal registration extended to 30 June 2026; UNEB public briefing on the 2026 PLE, 3 November 2026 (all accessed 4 November 2026).
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