Four students registered for the 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations in Amolatar district failed to sit for the examination on its opening day.

The reasons for their absence are yet to be established.

Patrick Odur Obia, the headteacher of Amolatar Secondary School and the officer overseeing the examination centre, said one female candidate at Alemere Comprehensive Secondary School was absent.

The school registered 124 candidates.

At Agikdak Seed Secondary School, three male candidates missed the examination out of the 98 registered students.

Odur said all candidates at the other examination centres were present. These include Muntu Seed Secondary School, which registered 211 candidates; Aputi Secondary School with 79; Amolatar High School with 13; Etam Seed Secondary School with 28; Agwingiri Girls Secondary School with 56; and Amolatar Secondary School with 117 candidates.

He added that no cases of examination malpractice had been reported in the district. However, heavy rainfall disrupted the examination process.

Odur identified the practical papers as the main challenge, saying many parents had not paid the required contributions after the examination was declared free of charge.

He explained that practical examinations require considerable funding to purchase the necessary materials, warning that the exercises could be affected if adequate resources are not secured.