168,639 candidates are currently sitting the Uganda Certificate of Education examination from 3,531 centres across the country.
The candidates started with physics Practical paper this morning and are set to sit Art still life this afternoon. 18,484 officers have been hired to officiate this year's examinations at all the three levels of examinations.
The Uganda National Examinations Board UNEB opened the examination storage centres as early as 7:00 am, in the presence of the headteachers and UNEB officials.
An army officer and a police officer were stationed at the storage containers the entire morning at Jinja road police station stopping headteachers from accessing the facility until 8:30 a.m.
This, according to Eve Konde, the Area Supervisor is because they did not want headteachers to have access to the examinations for a long time, which could lead to malpractices.
Parents were not allowed entrance at some schools to avoid any possible leakages or malpractices. UNEB has set up new security features in order to curb examination malpractices,.
At examination storage facilities, electronic locks that are monitored at the head office have been installed to keep track of who gains access and at what time. The electronic locks can also be disabled at the head office in cases where malpractice is suspected.