PROF. CELESTINO OBUA-UNEB CHAIRPERSON

BY ROSE KASIGWA

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) officially released the 2025 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results today Friday, The release, was presided over by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, at State House Nakasero.

Professor Celestino Obua Chairperson Uganda national examinations board said the 2025 PLE cycle saw a notable increase in the number of candidates compared to the previous year.

A total of 817,883 candidates registered for the examinations from 15,388 centers, representing a 2.5% increase from the 797,444 candidates in 2024.

In terms of academic achievement, UNEB Chairperson Prof. Celestino Obua reported a distinct improvement in Grade One (Division One) passes. This upward trend suggests that more students are meeting the highest proficiency standards required for entry into elite secondary schools.

The board confirmed that all 730,000 learners who were graded and passed would be eligible for placement in post-primary institutions, including secondary schools and vocational training centers.

English and Science continued to show strong performance, maintaining a trend observed in previous years where literacy and basic scientific inquiry are well-grasped by the top-tier candidates.

UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo noted a decline in performance in Social Studies (SST) and Religious Education this was attributed to the failure of some teachers to adapt their instructional methods to the new competency-based curriculum, which requires learners to interpret and apply concepts rather than simply recall facts.

Data indicated that male candidates outperformed their female counterparts in percentage terms and recorded a lower overall failure rate. However, UNEB noted that more females (428,356) registered for the exam than males (389,529).