Kampala, Uganda – October 2025: The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has appealed to teachers involved in the ongoing industrial strike to pause their action temporarily to allow the smooth conduct of the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) 2025 examinations.
According to UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo, the Board has always maintained a good working relationship with teachers, who play a crucial role in national exams.
“Over time, the Board has enjoyed a cordial working relationship with teachers, who are key stakeholders in the conduct of national examinations,” he said. Despite understanding the reasons that have led teachers to take industrial action, UNEB urges them not to link their strike to the supervision and administration of national examinations.
“The Board, however, requests that the teachers do not tag the supervision of national examinations to the industrial action. We ask for their indulgence to accept and join us for a few days of the conduct of the examinations, to enable us effectively assess the achievement of the learners that they have taught over the years,” Odongo stated.
The appeal comes as exams begin across the country, with over 432,000 candidates expected to sit the UCE exams in more than 4,300 examination centers. The Board stresses the importance of teachers’ participation during this critical time, as their involvement is vital in ensuring the examinations are conducted fairly and smoothly.
Odongo further explained that the briefing sessions held so far with the chief scouts, most of whom are teachers, show a positive response.
“The briefing session that we have so far had with the chief scouts, who are mainly teachers, indicates that the teachers are willing and ready to participate in the exercise, and the Board greatly appreciates this,” he said.
The strike is led by the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), whose Secretary General, Filbert Baguma, has been vocal about the teachers’ concerns that have prompted the industrial action.
Last week, he emphasized the need for the government to address the demands rather than penalise teachers during this critical time. “The Government should focus on fulfilling its commitments, not punishing those demanding what was promised,” Baguma stated on October 3, 2025.
The anticipate ‘UNEB teachers strike 2025’ has raised concern about possible disruption of national exams. However, UNEB remains hopeful that teachers will respond positively and set aside their industrial action temporarily to support the examination process.
The Board’s request underlines the fact that national examinations are a shared responsibility, and the cooperation of teachers during this period is essential for the success of the entire education system.
