The Uganda National Examinations Board has released the 2025 Primary Leaving Examination results, showing a rise in candidate numbers and an improvement in top grades.
A total of 817,883 candidates from 15,388 centres sat the exams, up from 797,444 in 2024. Of these, 63.8 percent were under Universal Primary Education, while 36.2 percent were non-UPE candidates.
UNEB executive director Dan Odongo said boys performed better than girls and recorded a lower failure rate. He said examiners rated the papers as good and aligned with competency-based learning, which tests how learners apply knowledge and skills.
He noted that some teachers, especially in Social Studies and Religious Education, have not fully adjusted to the new teaching approach. Many candidates struggled with questions that required applying knowledge to real-life situations. This contributed to weaker performance in those subjects compared to 2024.
Odongo also warned that last-minute materials from informal examination bureaus misled candidates and affected their preparation.
UNEB chairperson Celestino Obua said candidature continues to rise while absenteeism has stayed at 1.3 percent for two years. He said any dropout remains a concern.
He added that more candidates attained Grade One and more qualified to move to the next level than in 2024. He expressed confidence that those who passed will secure places in secondary and vocational schools as government expands access.
Obua said UNEB will continue annual analysis of exam items to measure learner proficiency under the competency-based curriculum. He added that results show teachers need more support to understand the curriculum and adjust their teaching. UNEB has already supported teachers in two low-performing local governments and plans to continue if funds allow.