Summary:
Odongo noted that female candidates had higher percentage passes at the upper levels (3P and 2P) and lower failure rates compared to male candidates.
KAMPALA: The Executive Director of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), Dan Odongo, has reported that female candidates, although fewer in number than their male counterparts, performed proportionally better in the 2024 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results.
The results were officially released today at Nakasero State House in Kampala by the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni.
Odongo noted that female candidates had higher percentage passes at the upper levels (3P and 2P) and lower failure rates compared to male candidates.
Odongo highlighted a steady increase in the number of candidates registering and sitting for Mathematics and Science subjects. Mathematics showed the highest increase.
However, he pointed out that the overall number of students taking these subjects remains below half of the total candidature. He attributed this trend to the historically low pass rates in Science subjects at the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) level, which discourage students from continuing them at UACE.
Odongo revealed that proportionally, female candidates outperformed their male counterparts at the principal level pass (A-E) in all Humanities subjects, as well as in Physics and General Paper.
“This is a trend we have observed over the years. Female participation in Mathematics and Sciences remains lower than that of males, consistent with their overall lower enrolment. However, the numbers are rising,” Odongo noted.
UNEB reported significant improvements in performance for subjects such as Economics, Literature in English, Physics, and Biology. However, there were notable declines in Entrepreneurship Education, Christian Religious Education, Geography, Mathematics, Agriculture, and Chemistry.
Science subjects continue to record lower grades compared to Humanities, which are generally better performed. In Humanities, challenges persist in the interpretation of questions due to a misunderstanding of key concepts.
“For example, in History, inadequate critical thinking skills limited candidates’ ability to analyze historical views. One paper in this subject heavily references the National Constitution, yet many candidates demonstrated limited exposure to it,” the report noted.
A total of 141,996 candidates registered for the 2024 UACE examinations, compared to 110,566 in 2023—an increase of 31,430 candidates (28.4%). Of these, 61,957 (43.6%) were female, while 80,039 (56.4%) were male.
Odongo attributed this sharp increase to the revised admission criteria for primary school teachers. Many students who would have pursued Grade Three teacher training after UCE opted for the UACE pathway instead.
The number of UACE examination centers also increased by 154, from 2,101 in 2023 to 2,255 in 2024.
A total of 140,888 candidates sat for the exams, compared to 109,486 in 2023—an increase of 31,402 candidates (28.7%). While the number of female candidates remains lower than that of males, it has been steadily rising.
“In 2022, female candidates completing UACE were 40,713. This number increased by 15.1% to 46,860 in 2023, and in 2024, it rose further to 61,598—a 31.5% increase. However, many female students still opt for vocational programs, especially in the health sector,” Odongo explained.
The Chairperson of UNEB, Prof. Celestino Obua, acknowledged the nearly exponential increase in UACE candidates. He also noted a consistent reduction in the number of students who fail to appear for exams, a trend observed over the past three years.
Prof. Obua emphasized the growing interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, although the numbers remain lower than those in Humanities.
“While Humanities remain important, we need more students in Sciences to drive technological progress. To achieve this, we must improve Science pass rates by ensuring adequate teaching and learning materials in schools,” he stated.
On a positive note, Prof. Obua reported that the 2024 UACE exams recorded the lowest number of examination malpractice cases compared to the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) and UCE exams. Consequently, very few results will be withheld. Affected candidates will be given hearings as per legal provisions.
“The Board has completed hearings for PLE malpractice cases. Where there was insufficient evidence, results were released, while proven cases were canceled under Section 38(1) of the UNEB Act, Cap 259. The Board will publish these cases to prevent headteachers from issuing fake results,” he said.
Prof. Obua acknowledged concerns from stakeholders about the grading system under the new competency-based curriculum for UCE. He noted that the confusion surrounding “Result 1,” which was misinterpreted as “Grade 1,” has been recognized.
“The Ministry of Education and Sports has faced pressure to assign numerical values to Grades A-E. However, the Board will not do this, as it contradicts the new curriculum’s intent. We will engage stakeholders to explain the grading system,” he stated.
