UNEB warns as nine teachers are remanded over 2025 PLE paper leak

14 November 2025, 9:51 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

As the last batch of 2025 candidates sitting Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) examinations continue with their papers, the Board has again reminded heads of centres and other stakeholders not to engage in any form of examination malpractice. They have been urged to respect this year’s examination theme: “Embracing security and holistic assessment of learners in a dynamic environment.” UNEB notes that by doing so, teachers will avoid falling victim to offences that have already caught up with others who acted contrary to professional expectations.

It is against this background that, on Thursday, the Chief Magistrate at Mengo Court remanded nine suspects over alleged involvement in examination malpractice related to the 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). According to senior UNEB legal officer Annet Kemaali, the Court presided over by Chief Magistrate His Worship Adams Byarugaba heard that the suspects, all teachers from different schools, formed a WhatsApp group on the 3rd and 4th of November 2025 where they shared unauthorised examination material purported to be UNEB PLE papers.

Kemaali explained that this conduct contravenes Section 25 of the UNEB Act, CAP 259. The Act states that being in possession of unauthorised examination material, information or a paper whether genuine or not is an offence. She also noted that one of the suspects has been a teacher for 20 years. Out of the eleven suspects, nine were arrested in Nateete while the others are still at large. Three of the suspects pleaded guilty and were remanded until 25 November 2025 for sentencing. The remaining six denied the charges and were also remanded until the same date for their bail application.

Section 25 of the UNEB Act provides for a maximum sentence, upon conviction, of a fine not exceeding Uganda Shillings 20 million, imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.

More than 800,000 learners registered for PLE and sat from over 16,000 UNEB centres countrywide. Meanwhile, the ongoing UACE examinations will end on 5 December 2025. Today, candidates are writing History of National Movements and the New States (History Paper One) in the morning, and in the afternoon they will sit History of Economic and Social History of East Africa (History Paper Two). Those offering sciences are also writing Principal Mathematics Paper Two.