99.6% of candidates qualify for UCE certificate – UNEB

 The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has announced improved performance in the 2025 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, with 99.69 per cent of candidates qualifying for the award.

Releasing the results on Friday at State Lodge Nakasero, UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo said 428,628 of the 429,949 candidates who sat the examinations met the requirements for the UCE certificate.

“This will be indicated on the Transcript and Certificate as Result 1. The percentage of candidates that do not qualify for the UCE certificate has also dropped very significantly from 1.9 per cent to only 0.31 per cent,” Mr Odongo said.

Candidates who did not meet all award conditions will receive either Result 2 or Result 3. Result 2 indicates that a candidate did not fulfil all requirements, such as missing project work, sitting fewer subjects, or lacking Continuous Assessment (CA) scores. Result 3 is awarded to candidates who scored below the basic level (E) in all subjects.

A total of 432,163 candidates from 3,975 examination centres registered for the 2025 UCE, compared to 359,417 in 2024 — an increase of 72,746 (20.2 per cent). Of these, 204,292 (47.3 per cent) were male and 227,871 (52.7 per cent) female.

Of the registered candidates, 429,949 (99.5 per cent) were present for the examinations, while 2,214 (0.5 per cent) were absent, continuing a steady decline in absenteeism.

Regarding programme categories, 154,642 (35.8 per cent) candidates were beneficiaries of the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme, while 277,521 (64.2 per cent) were non-USE candidates.

In terms of subject performance, female candidates demonstrated higher achievement levels in English Language and Christian Religious Education. However, in History and Political Education, Geography, Mathematics, Agriculture, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, the proportions of females at exceptional and outstanding levels were slightly lower than those of males.

Special mention was made of candidates from correctional facilities. At Uganda Government Upper Prison School in Luzira, 40 candidates registered, 39 sat, and all qualified for the certificate. At Mbarara Main Prison Inmates’ Secondary School, all 12 registered candidates sat and qualified.

UNEB noted that the overall improvement in performance and the significant reduction in failure rates signal positive progress in learning outcomes across the country.