REPEATING UNDER NEW CURRICULUM: Uneb Issues Guidelines for Senior Four Repeaters 2026

Assessment body Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has issued guidelines for Senior Four repeaters 2026. The guidelines for senior four repeaters 2026 set a precedent for repeating under the new curriculum.

Last year, hundreds of thousands of candidates sat Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations which mark the end of O-level. Last year’s batch was the second cohort sitting exams under the new lower secondary curriculum which is competence-based.

Some candidates were not awarded the UCE certificate after failing to meet the minimum requirements for the award of the same. Some of the may choose to repeat O-level.

Previously, repeating O-level was a straight forward move: all one had to do was to find a school with a Uneb centre number that was willing to register them for the national exams.

But under the new competence-based lower secondary curriculum, things are a bit different because one needs cumulative assessment marks and a project that will form part of the final assessment. And these components of assessment are spread across O-level classes.

Now, Uneb has issued guidelines for handling repeaters of S4 2026. Uneb executive director Dan Odongo has explained to head teachers of secondary schools on how to handle the matter.

“UNEB has observed that schools continue to receive learners who studied under the Competency Based Curriculum, sat for UCE in 2024 & 2025 and wish to repeat,” noted Odongo.

“Furthermore, schools are also getting learners who studied and completed S.3 under the CBC but were unable to proceed to S.4 and would wish to resume their studies.”

Odongo says Uneb’s guidance on the matter is that “head teachers [should] accept such learners on fulfilling the under listed requirements.”

Repeaters must attend classes of S4 2026 and be assessed at school.

Odongo added that these repeaters’ cumulative or continuous assessment (CA) scores for Activities of Integration and Subject Achievement for such learners for S4 Term 1 and Term 2, 2026 have to be compiled and submitted to Uneb.

The other requirements for S4 repeaters is that they “should have been assessed at school while in S3 and their scores submitted to Uneb.”

“S3 learners who wish to resume their studies should continue with their project work for implementation, reporting and dissemination competency for assessment and submission to UNEB,” continued Odongo.

“S4 repeaters should review their project work for implementation, reporting and dissemination competency for assessment and submission to UNEB.”

The other guideline is that these candidates should maintain the subjects registered while at S3.

Odongo added: “The schools with such learners should follow the submission timelines in the circular dated 24th February, 2026.”

You can the list of best performing schools in UCE 2025 Here, There and Over There.

Read facts about the new UCE grading system Here.

Watch video on Guidelines for Senior Four Repeaters Here.