The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has officially released the results of the 2025 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, reporting a record pass rate and notable improvements under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
A total of 432,163 candidates from 3,975 centres registered for the exams, marking a 20.2% increase from 2024. Of these, 227,871 (52.7%) were female and 204,292 (47.3%) male.
Attendance remained high, with 429,949 candidates (99.5%) sitting for the exams, continuing a trend of declining absenteeism.
Higher Pass Rates, Fewer Failures
The overall performance shows significant improvement over 2024. UNEB reports that 428,628 candidates (99.69%) qualified for the UCE certificate, recorded as Result 1 on certificates.
Candidates who did not qualify dropped sharply from 1.9% in 2024 to just 0.31% in 2025.
Result 2 – for candidates missing elements like project scores or Continuous Assessment marks – accounted for 1,191 candidates (0.28%), while Result 3 – for candidates scoring below the basic level in all subjects – was recorded for only 130 candidates (0.03%).
“This improvement demonstrates that the CBC is beginning to yield positive outcomes, with learners increasingly meeting the competency thresholds required for success,” UNEB noted.
Gains in CRE, Geography, and English
Analysis of large-entry and compulsory subjects shows higher achievement levels in Christian Religious Education (CRE), Geography, and English Language, with more students attaining grades C and above compared to 2024.
- English Language: 50.6% scored grade C, 26.8% D, 1.9% E
- Christian Religious Education: 64.9% scored grade C, 12.4% D, 1.1% E
- Mathematics: 62% scored C, 10.9% D, 2.7% E
In sciences, including Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, there were encouraging reductions in the proportion of candidates scoring below grade D.
However, Uneb highlighted that candidates still struggle to connect practical scenarios to real-life problem solving, a key competency of the CBC.
Data shows female candidates outperforming males in English Language and CRE, particularly at the exceptional and outstanding levels. In most other subjects – including Mathematics, Agriculture, and the Sciences – males slightly outperformed females in the highest achievement bands, though differences remain marginal.
- English Language: 14.8% of males vs 2.5% of females achieved grade A
- CRE: 3.6% of males vs 20.1% of females achieved grade A or B
Uneb emphasized the need for continued gender-sensitive teaching strategies, especially in science and technical subjects, to close achievement gaps.
Special Needs and Prison Candidates
The 2025 UCE cohort included 708 Special Needs Education (SNE) candidates, who received accommodations such as Braille papers, enlarged print, extra time, and sign language interpreters.
Absenteeism among SNE candidates was minimal at 0.6%, demonstrating the effectiveness of support measures.
Additionally, 64 candidates from Luzira and Mbarara prisons sat for the exams, highlighting Uneb’s commitment to inclusive education.
While the 2025 UCE results indicate broad improvements, Uneb emphasized that challenges persist in translating knowledge into real-life problem solving and creative thinking – core competencies of the CBC.
Teachers are urged to focus not just on factual knowledge but on developing analytical and practical skills among learners.
As Uganda celebrates the record performance, the emphasis now turns to deepening CBC implementation, strengthening science teaching, and supporting vulnerable learners, ensuring that the education system prepares students not only for examinations but for real-world challenges.
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