Citing issues with student privacy, mental health, and breaches of data protection rules, the Ministry of Education and Sports has prohibited the public showing and media dissemination of individual candidates’ outcomes from national examinations.
The directive was issued By Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary in a circular dated May 7, 2025, barely months following the publication of the 2024 UNEB results.
Dr. Turyagyenda’s directive emphasized the ministry’s rising worry over what she refers to as the “growing and illicit trend” of publishing students’ exam results in newspapers, on billboards, and throughout social media channels, actions she claims violate the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019.
“This behavior goes against the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019. Publicizing exam results not only violates legislative requirements but also exposes students and their families to unnecessary stress, worry, and perhaps harassment or stigma,” the circular reads in part.
The directive, to all prominent local government officials, school heads, and owners of private schools, stressed that students’ transcripts should be treated as confidential, therefore encouraging schools to move from public score displays to more private means of communication such as sealed letters or safe digital platforms straight to parents and guardians.
In the same vein, First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni had cautioned institutions against the commercialization and sensationalization of candidates’ performance during the release of the 2024 UNEB results.
Now validated by this official directive, Mrs. Museveni’s comments seek to stop what the ministry views as improper use of students’ successes for school branding or marketing and to reduce unhealthy competition.
Should schools feel the need to share overall performance with the public, the PS advised that they may do so anonymously, removing names, pictures, or any other information that could be used to identify particular pupils.
“All institutions should abstain from using exam results for advertising or promotional purposes,” adding, “The Ministry urges schools to instead emphasize their bigger academic environment and co-curricular activities,” she said.
Furthermore directing educational institutions, the ministry advised teachers, pupils, parents, and governing bodies to start sensitizing all stakeholders on the need of safeguarding students’ data and the emotional damage public rankings might inflict.
Widely distributed among government agencies including the Ministry of Local Government, KCCA, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), education officers, and police leadership, copies of the directive indicated the ministry’s resolve to strongly implement this policy.
Particularly private schools have been alerted that those discovered breaking the rules will face penalties. “This is not a tip. It is a legal necessity as well as one of child safety, said a source at the ministry.
The ministry claims it is trying to strike a balance between honoring success and safeguarding pupils’ rights as the educational scene develops.
“This is about dignity. Academic achievement should not come at the price of a child’s emotional or psychological wellbeing,” Dr Turyagyenda stated finally.
