During Day 1 of UACE, two female candidates at Masaka Hall were found with smart phones in the examination room, and one of them was allegedly using artificial intelligence to download a history essay, while another had summarized notes on the smart phone.
The student, identified as Cecilia Nabahinda, reportedly used an AI app installed on her smartphone to download an essay during an afternoon examination session. She is one of two candidates detained by police for attempting to use prohibited devices during exams, according to a statement by Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) spokesperson Jenifer Kalule on November 11, 2024.
The second student, Grace Nakayimba, was found with summarised notes saved on her smartphone, also in violation of UNEB’s strict no-phone policy in examination rooms. Kalule stated that both students were registered at Masaka Hall and that the incident occurred shortly after the UACE exams began. "One was using artificial intelligence to download an essay, while the other had summarised notes on her phone," Kalule said, adding that UNEB has reiterated that any form of electronic device is banned in or around exam rooms.
The use of AI applications by students to retrieve content quickly represents a growing concern for educational institutions worldwide. UNEB, which oversees national exams for both secondary and primary levels, faces increasing challenges in ensuring academic integrity, especially with advancements in technology that can easily be used to bypass traditional monitoring methods.
As AI-powered tools become more accessible, UNEB and other educational bodies are tasked with strengthening security measures to detect and prevent such incidents.
This year’s UACE exams, which commenced on November 11, mark the final stage in UNEB's 2024 "4Es" examination series. A record-breaking 142,009 candidates registered for the exams, reflecting a 22.1% increase from last year’s 131,440 candidates. These students, seated at 2,634 examination centers across the country, represent the largest number of UACE candidates in recent history, underscoring the growing demand for advanced education credentials in Uganda.
The Universal Post-Level Education and Training (UPOLET) program, which provides government sponsorship, also saw an uptick in participation, with 35,661 students supported under the scheme compared to 24,679 last year.
According to UNEB, this increase highlights the government’s continued commitment to expanding access to education and promoting higher secondary education enrollment across Uganda. However, with higher enrollment and increased exam attendance, UNEB faces greater pressure to enforce examination rules strictly.
