Candidates Offered a Chance to Resit 2023 UCE Exams

A total of 14,879 candidates who took the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations last year did not meet the minimum grade requirements.

They have been advised to retake the examination because 2023 marked the final year of implementing the old curriculum.

Candidates who received their results have been recommended to retake the examination to advance to the next academic level.

Professor Celestino Obua, Chairperson of the Uganda Examinations Board (UNEB), stated that this group would be given a one-time opportunity to retake the examination under the old curriculum.

He also mentioned that candidates who did not register for the 2023 examination or those who registered but did not attend would also be given this chance. Adult learners studying independently will also have a one-time opportunity for examination.

However, candidates who took their Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) after 2019 will not be eligible for this opportunity.

This information aligns with what Joyce Kaduccu, state minister in charge of primary education, communicated while addressing Parliament.

The new Competency-based Curriculum (CBC) was introduced in 2019, replacing the phased-out curriculum.

Unlike the old curriculum, the CBC employs a different assessment model, including continuous assessment and a final national assessment.

According to the guidelines, candidates cannot register for the final assessment without continuous assessment marks from S.1 to S.4. This poses a challenge for learners under the old curriculum who lack such assessment marks.

Janet Kataaha Museveni, the Education Minister, assured that repeaters would be given enough time to prepare before retaking the examination.

She directed authorities to examine the matter thoroughly and develop a roadmap, which will be communicated to the public.

Although the exact dates for the examination retake are not known, it is expected to be scheduled around June/July, several months before the official 2024 UCE examination. This gives repeaters less than three months to prepare.

However, offering a one-off chance to those under the old curriculum has sparked debate. Some argue that it might disadvantage learners who may not be adequately prepared within the limited time frame.

This issue was discussed in Parliament, where some MPs expressed concerns about the fairness of the government’s approach. The Ministry of Education urgently sought a resolution to this matter, assigning UNEB the task of finding a solution. Ultimately, the option of a one-off examination was chosen.