KAMPALA: The Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, has officially unveiled the 2023 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education results, revealing that 80,643 candidates (73.7%) qualified for University admission, compared to 67,815 (70.3%) in 2022.
The results were announced at State House Nakasero in Kampala.
According to Dan Odongo, the Executive Director of UNEB, the minimum requirement for university admissions to degree courses has been two Principal level passes, and maintaining this standard would see 80,643 candidates qualifying for admission, reflecting an improvement from 2022.
Odongo noted that there was an overall better performance and a significant increase in exam entries in 2023. For admissions to other tertiary institutions, where one Principal and two Subsidiary passes are considered, 90.7% of the candidates qualify, an increase from 89.3% in 2022.
The total number of candidates who registered for the 2023 UACE examination was 110,553 from 2,102 centers, compared to 97,890 candidates from 1,969 centers in 2022, marking a 12.9% increase.
Of these candidates, 47,226 (42.7%) were females and 63,339 (57.3%) were males. The number of candidates who appeared for the examination was 109,488, compared to 96,557 in 2022, indicating a 13.4% increase. Odongo highlighted that female candidates consistently performed better than their male counterparts, with higher percentage passes at upper levels (3P and 2P) and lower failure rates.
Moreover, Odongo emphasized the gradual increase in candidates registering for Mathematics and the Sciences, with Mathematics showing the most promise. However, the overall numbers remained below half of the total candidature, reflecting the low pass rates in these subjects at the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) level, which impacts transition to UACE.
Furthermore, Examiners reported an improvement in the quality of candidates’ work, particularly in subjects like Biology, which historically had poor performance. However, core science subjects continued to exhibit lower-than-desired principal performance levels, attributed to theoretical teaching methods lacking practical application.
Professor Celestino Obua, UNEB Chairperson, highlighted that entries for Sciences at UACE remained lower than for Humanities but noted a positive trend in increasing numbers.
He commended the improved performance, especially among candidates obtaining 3 Principal passes, and acknowledged the superior performance of female candidates at all levels, particularly in Mathematics and Science combinations.
He expressed concern over the low percentage of female candidates offering STEM subjects despite their proven aptitude in these areas compared to their male counterparts.
