Education Experts Call for Independent Probe into 2025 PLE Marking
By skika reporter
Education specialists have called for an independent investigation into the marking of the 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) following widespread concern from schools and parents over question difficulty and unexpected shifts in performance between urban and rural schools.
The calls come amid complaints largely from parents with children in traditionally high-performing urban and private schools, many of whom expressed surprise at the strong showing by pupils from rural and lesser-known institutions. The outcome has reignited debate over long-held perceptions that academic excellence is mainly the preserve of urban schools with better resources.
Several educationists say the results warrant closer scrutiny to establish whether the changes reflect genuine improvements in learning outcomes or issues related to examination setting and marking.
Primary school teacher Eric Kikomeko questioned the suitability of some examination papers, particularly Social Studies and Science, noting that the questions were unusually technical and heavily worded for candidates at primary level.
He said that while the results appeared unusual to some parents and schools, they should not be immediately interpreted as evidence of bias in favour of rural pupils or government schools. Kikomeko added that urban schools are often assumed to have an academic advantage because of superior facilities, trained teachers and access to learning materials.
Education expert Dr Mary Gorret Nakabugo called for a structured and independent study to explain the shifts in school performance observed in the 2025 results.
She said such an inquiry would help clarify why some schools that had consistently posted strong results declined, while others recorded significant improvement. Dr Nakabugo also cautioned parents against focusing exclusively on top aggregates, warning that the practice places unnecessary pressure on learners and teachers and may distort perceptions of success.
Professor Muwaga Mugagga, the Principal of Makerere University School of Education and External Studies, supported calls for a formal inquiry, saying it would help restore public confidence in the national examination system.
Education experts further urged the government to sustain investment in public schools to improve infrastructure, teacher capacity and learning conditions. They argued that narrowing disparities between schools would help reduce suspicion and perceptions of bias during national examinations.
The 2025 PLE results have continued to spark debate across the education sector, with stakeholders calling for reforms that promote fairness, transparency and a broader understanding of academic achievement beyond traditional rankings.
