UNEB Releases 2024 UCE Results with Fewer Malpractice Cases and Improved Performance

Summary:

• According to UNEB Executive Director, Dan Odongo, the majority of malpractice incidents occurred in science practical papers, with Physics being the most affected. Of the reported cases, 883 (93.1%) were in science subjects, while only 65 (6.9%) were in other subjects.

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KAMPALA: The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has reported a significant decline in examination malpractice cases in the 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results.

A total of 64 cases involving 984 candidates were recorded, a sharp decrease from nearly 3,000 suspected cases last year.

According to UNEB Executive Director, Dan Odongo, the majority of malpractice incidents occurred in science practical papers, with Physics being the most affected. Of the reported cases, 883 (93.1%) were in science subjects, while only 65 (6.9%) were in other subjects.

“In these science cases, there is overwhelming evidence that candidates were provided experimental results by teachers to copy. The work submitted by candidates did not correspond with the results recorded,” Odongo stated.

He made these remarks during the official release of the 2024 UCE results, which included candidates from both the new competency-based curriculum and the old curriculum. The event was held at State House Nakasero in Kampala and was presided over by the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni.

Special Centres’ Performance:

Odongo highlighted the performance of special examination centres, including the Uganda Government Upper School in Luzira and Mbarara Main Prison Inmates’ Secondary School.

At Luzira, 28 candidates were registered, with 27 sitting for the exams. All candidates qualified for the UCE certificate. Similarly, all 11 candidates at Mbarara Main Prison sat for the exams and qualified.

Candidate Registration and Attendance:

Odongo reported that 10,141 candidates from 1,028 centres registered for the exams, with 4,369 (43.1%) males and 5,373 (52.9%) females. Of these, 813 (8%) were beneficiaries of the Universal Secondary Education (USE) program, while 8,929 (88%) were non-USE candidates. A total of 9,742 (96.1%) candidates sat for the exams, while 399 were absent.

For the first cohort under the new curriculum, 359,417 candidates were registered. Of these, 177,133 (49.3%) were male, and 182,284 (50.7%) were female. USE beneficiaries accounted for 136,785 (38.1%) candidates, while 222,632 (61.9%) were non-USE. Attendance was high, with 357,120 (99.4%) candidates present, and only 2,297 (0.6%) absent, indicating a positive trend in reducing absenteeism.

Transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum:

Odongo emphasized that this year’s results mark the first cohort assessed under the competency-based curriculum. He noted that the transition required UNEB to build staff capacity, develop new assessment tools, and create unique identification formats for students, particularly in schools without UNEB examination centres.

“The new curriculum, being skills-based, requires well-equipped science labs and workshops to foster self-learning. Unfortunately, many rural and private schools lack these resources and face shortages of science teachers,” Odongo explained.

He also mentioned that some schools resisted the shift to the new curriculum, continuing to teach the old syllabus in hopes that the government would retract the new framework.

However, the release of sample examination papers clarified UNEB’s commitment to the new curriculum.

Assessment and Grading Changes:

Prof. Celestino Obua, UNEB Chairperson, expressed confidence in the new curriculum, citing improvements in students’ confidence, communication, research, and project skills.

He acknowledged initial concerns about transitioning students to the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) under the old curriculum but confirmed that significant updates had been made to align UACE with the new framework.

The grading system has also changed from the previous stanine system (Distinctions, Credits, Pass, and Fail) to letter grades (A, B, C, D, and E). The new format aims to simplify the results for all stakeholders and emphasize candidates’ competencies.

Under the competency-based assessment, candidates are no longer ranked into divisions. To qualify for the UCE certificate, a candidate must achieve at least a grade D in one subject.

Overall Performance:

The results show that 350,146 (98.05%) of the candidates who sat for the exams qualified for the UCE certificate, which will be indicated as Result 1 on their transcripts. Candidates who did not meet the requirements—such as failing to sit for compulsory subjects, taking fewer than eight subjects, or lacking project work scores—will have Result 2 on their transcripts.

In conclusion, Odongo stated, “Despite the challenges faced during the transition, the new competency-based curriculum has been successfully implemented, marking a significant milestone in Uganda’s education system.”