The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has officially released the 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results, revealing a significant milestone in the country’s education sector under the new competency-based curriculum. A total of 350,146 candidates successfully passed the exams, representing 98.05% of those who sat. However, 9,000 candidates failed to qualify for the UCE certificate due to various factors, including missing mandatory subjects and poor performance.
Qualification Criteria and New Grading System
UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo explained the categorization of results under the new system:
- Result 1: Awarded to candidates who met the UCE certificate requirements. This classification will be reflected on both transcripts and certificates.
- Result 2: Given to candidates who failed to meet minimum requirements such as sitting for all compulsory subjects, scoring insufficient marks in eight subjects, or lacking Project Work scores. These candidates do not qualify for a UCE certificate.
- Result 3: Assigned to students who scored only Achievement Level E in all subjects. Like Result 2, these candidates do not qualify for certification.
Odongo emphasized that candidates with Result 2 and Result 3 will not receive a UCE certificate.
Gender-Based Performance Trends
The results show that girls performed better than boys in English, Christian Religious Education (CRE), and Art and Design. Conversely, boys dominated the top performance categories in History, Political Education, Geography, Mathematics, Agriculture, Chemistry, and Biology.
Challenges in Science and Language Subjects
Examiners noted persistent challenges in Science practical assessments, where students struggled to:
- Interpret experimental scenarios
- Connect theoretical knowledge to real-life applications
- Analyze laboratory results effectively
In English and other foreign languages, students faced difficulties in:
- Expanding their vocabulary
- Paraphrasing content
- Demonstrating reading comprehension skills
Despite these challenges, UNEB attributes the general improvement in performance to the new curriculum, which emphasizes practical application, critical thinking, and workforce readiness.
Key Statistics
- Total candidates: 359,417
- Candidates qualifying for a UCE certificate: 350,146 (98.05%)
- Female candidates qualifying: 182,284 (50.7%)
- Male candidates qualifying: 177,133 (49.3%)
- Absenteeism rate: 0.6%
With the lowest absenteeism rate recorded in recent years, the 2024 UCE results highlight the impact of Uganda’s educational reforms and the effectiveness of competency-based learning.