Seventy Prisoners Sit UACE 2025 Exams Across Uganda

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1128 EAT on Tuesday 11 November 2025.

The Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) is highlighting its inmate education programs as a leading rehabilitation effort, noting a significant rise in senior six candidates this year.

According to UPS, at least 70 inmates have begun their senior six examinations across various prisons in preparation for the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams. Of these, 66 are male and four are female, marking the largest cohort of prison students in the past 20 years since the service began enrolling inmates in Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) exams at all levels.

Frank Baine, spokesperson for Uganda Prisons, said the program has enabled inmates to pursue careers as teachers, lawyers, and community leaders. “This initiative demonstrates the rehabilitative power of education, equipping prisoners with the skills and knowledge they need to lead productive lives after their release,” he said.

“Our research indicates that since this education program began 20 years ago, 98 per cent of inmates initially join to alleviate boredom. With proper guidance, however, they become committed and successful, transforming into valuable members of society and leaving their past behind. This has been the most effective rehabilitation initiative in the prison’s history,” Baine said.

He emphasized that the examination process within prisons is conducted with the utmost fairness, strictly following Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) guidelines. The government fully supports the program, and inmates follow the same curriculum as students outside prison.

According to Jennifer Kalule, UNEB’s public relations officer, Luzira Upper Prison is the country’s only designated prison examination centre. It receives examination materials, invigilators, and security personnel directly, just like other UNEB centres.

She, however, noted that the remaining 20 inmate learning centres rely on nearby schools for support. “For candidates in other districts, they’re registered in nearby schools and follow the same procedures as other students,” Jennifer Kalule, UNEB’s public relations officer, explained. “No special treatment is given unless candidates have special needs, categorized under SNE, in which case they are allowed an extra 45 minutes,” she added.

According to UNEB, 166,402 students began their exams on Monday. Arts students sat for the History of Africa paper, while science students took Physics Paper One at 2,844 centres nationwide, up from 11,996 candidates in 2024.

Reporting by The Observer.

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