During a press conference held at the Uganda Media Center on Thursday, the Acting Executive Director of Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB), Mr Mike Nagosya Masikye, announced that all schools increasing the registration fee set by the board will be fined Shs40m.
He cautioned heads of centres and school directors against calling any other administrative costs UNEB fees as the UNEB Act 2021, section 33 makes it an offence to charge fees not prescribed by the board and refer to such fees as UNEB fees. Violators of this law will face a penalty of two thousand currency points (equivalent to Forty Million Shillings), imprisonment of up to ten years or both.
Additionally, the person convicted will be required to pay back the amount charged above the prescribed fee to the concerned students or their sponsors, and the board will withdraw the examination centre number of the school.
UNEB has set specific registration fees for candidates sitting for the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE). The set fees are Shs34,000 for PLE, Shs164,000 for UCE, and Shs186,000 for UACE.
The registration of candidates began on April 1 and is scheduled to end on May 31. Late registration will run for two months from June to July, with surcharges of 50% and 100% for late registration.
According to the examination calendar, candidates are expected to sit for their examinations in October, with UCE being the first set of examinations, followed by PLE and UACE. Mr Masikye’s announcement serves as a warning to schools to adhere to the prescribed fees to avoid penalties, imprisonment, and loss of examination centre numbers.
Schools are urged to prioritize the academic interests of the students and comply with the law to ensure a smooth registration process. The UNEB Act 2021 aims to maintain transparency and integrity in the examination system, and any violations of the act will be treated as an offence.