The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has come under fire from the public following a printing mistake on one of this year’s Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) papers. The error appeared on Tuesday’s Economics Paper 2, which was mistakenly labelled 2024 instead of 2025, triggering widespread criticism and online debate.

In an urgent message sent to all examination centers, UNEB clarified that the paper was still valid despite the misprint. “Please take note that the year should read 2025 and not 2024 as indicated on the examination paper. Candidates should proceed with the examination,” read the directive issued to supervisors and headteachers.

Although UNEB officials dismissed the error as minor, it quickly sparked a social media storm. Many accused the board of carelessness, arguing that such mistakes undermine the credibility of a process known for its precision. Critics noted the irony of students being penalized for small mistakes, while the examination body itself made a glaring one.

On X (formerly Twitter), users expressed disbelief that a national examination could contain such an obvious oversight. One user, Hamidu, wrote: “UNEB took 364 days preparing an exam and forgot to change the year after reprinting the same paper of 2024,” a post that drew hundreds of reactions. 

By Wednesday evening, the issue had become a trending topic, with memes, posts, and calls for accountability circulating widely. Some users demanded disciplinary measures against those involved, insisting that UNEB must uphold the same standards of accuracy and diligence it expects from students.

Educationist Gozanga Kaswarra argued that the blunder revealed deeper weaknesses in UNEB’s quality control mechanisms. “This is not just a typo; it can be a reflection of complacency in our education management,” he said, emphasizing that several stages of verification should have prevented the error. “An examination paper is the final product of a long process involving design, moderation, and printing. If such a document reaches candidates with an error, it means several quality assurance layers failed.”

Kaswarra urged UNEB to strengthen its internal review systems, adding: “Attention to detail is not optional in assessment work. The board’s credibility depends on accuracy. Once the public loses trust, even small mistakes create lasting damage.”

Responding to the controversy, UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule clarified that the Economics Paper 2 was entirely new and not a recycled version of last year’s. “You can check last year’s paper. It is totally different from this one. The year was an error,” she explained.

Kalule acknowledged the public concern, stating that the board values its reputation and is committed to transparency and improvement. “We understand the outrage because the public holds us in high regard, and rightly so. UNEB is committed to transparency and excellence, and we are reviewing our processes to ensure this does not happen again.”

She reassured candidates that all examination papers remain valid and that marking will proceed according to standard procedures.

URN