The Ministry of Education, through the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA), has officially launched practical examinations for 74,085 candidates completing secondary education in the 2025/26 academic year.
The examinations, which began on June 3, will run until June 22, 2026, across 854 examination centres nationwide.
According to NESA, 70,504 candidates are enrolled in various secondary schools, while 3,581 are private candidates. The cohort includes learners from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, teacher training colleges, nursing programmes, accounting, and science streams.
The national launch ceremony was held at Saint Joseph Integrated Technical College in Nyamirambo, alongside Kagarama Secondary School in Kicukiro District.
State Minister for Education Claudette Irere called on parents, teachers, and students to intensify preparation efforts as written examinations approach, stressing the importance of collective responsibility in supporting candidates.
“Teachers should continue guiding learners in their preparations, and parents must ensure that students have the necessary support. No learner should be disadvantaged due to lack of parental involvement,” she said.
She also cautioned against vandalism of school facilities, warning that acts of destruction targeting examination materials and infrastructure would not be tolerated.
“Such behaviour will not be accepted. Students must understand that the resources they use today will serve future generations. Any destruction of examination materials or infrastructure will be sanctioned,” she added.
Irere wished success to all candidates sitting for the 2025/26 national examinations, expressing confidence in their ability to progress to higher levels of education.
