The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has extended the examination time for the History and Political Education paper by 15 minutes during the ongoing 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations.

In a circular issued to secondary school head teachers, UNEB announced that the duration of Paper 141/1 had been increased from two hours and 15 minutes to two hours and 30 minutes. Examination centres were instructed to communicate the change to candidates and invigilators immediately.

The History and Political Education examination is scheduled for the afternoon session of the second day of the UCE examinations, following the English Language paper in the morning.

The previous examination timetable had allocated two hours and 15 minutes to the paper, matching the duration used in the previous year's examinations. However, UNEB had not publicly explained the reason for the additional 15 minutes at the time of reporting.

UCE Examinations Continue Smoothly Across Uganda

Meanwhile, the second day of the 2026 UCE examinations proceeded without major disruptions in several parts of the country, according to school administrators and examination supervisors.

In Oyam District, candidates began their examinations without incident despite heavy morning rainfall that lasted several hours. Patrick Gira, head teacher of Abok Seed School, described the weather conditions as dull but not rainy.

In the Teso sub-region, education officials and examination supervisors also reported a smooth start, with examination materials delivered and distributed on time.

Francis Ebenu, the area supervisor for Station 003 in Kumi District, confirmed that examination materials for the first week had been received and distributed to the seven examination centres under his supervision.

Schools Urged to Allow Candidates with Outstanding Fees to Sit Exams

In Bukedea District, education officials continued monitoring schools to ensure that all registered candidates were allowed to sit their UCE examinations, including learners with outstanding school fees.

Bukedea District Education Officer Stephen Okurut said both government and private schools had responded positively to the appeal to allow students to participate in the examinations regardless of their fee balances.

He added that his office was closely monitoring the situation to ensure that no registered candidate was unfairly prevented from sitting the examinations.

The extension of the History and Political Education paper's duration is an important update for candidates, invigilators and school administrators participating in the 2026 UCE examinations. Candidates are advised to follow the instructions communicated by their examination centres regarding the revised timetable.