UNEB: 99 percent of candidates excel in 2025 UCE
KAMPALA, February 13, 2026 — The Uganda National Examinations Board [ UNEB ] has announced an improvement in performance in the 2025 Uganda Certificate of Education examinations [UCE], with 99.69 percent of candidates qualifying for the award of the UCE certificate.
Announcing the results today at Nakasero State Lodge in Kampala, UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo said the 2025 cohort registered the strongest outcome since the rollout of the Competency Based Curriculum.
“A total of 428,628 candidates representing 99.69 percent of those who sat have qualified for the UCE certificate. This will be reflected on both the transcript and the certificate as Result 1,” Odongo said.
According to UNEB data, 432,163 candidates from 3,975 examination centres registered for the 2025 examinations, compared to 359,417 in 2024, marking an increase of 72,746 candidates, equivalent to 20.2 percent growth.
Of the registered candidates, 204,292 were male representing 47.3 percent, while 227,871 were female representing 52.7 percent. Beneficiaries of the Universal Secondary Education programme accounted for 154,642 candidates or 35.8 percent, while 277,521 candidates representing 64.2 percent were non-USE, acronym for Universal Secondary Education, a government programme where most of secondary school students study without their parents and guardians paying school fees for them.
A total of 429,949 candidates sat the examinations, translating into 99.5 percent attendance. Only 2,214 candidates were absent, representing 0.5 percent. In 2024, 357,120 candidates sat the examination.
“As observed in 2024, the rate of absenteeism continues to decline, reflecting improved candidate participation and retention,” Odongo noted.
Performance analysis released by UNEB shows a marked improvement compared to 2024. In 2025, 428,628 candidates attained Result 1, while 1,191 candidates recorded Result 2 and 130 recorded Result 3. Only 0.31 percent did not qualify for the certificate, a significant drop from 1.9 percent in 2024.
“The percentage of candidates who did not qualify for the UCE certificate has declined significantly from 1.9 percent in 2024 to just 0.31 percent in 2025,” Odongo said. “Result 2 and Result 3 indicate that a candidate did not fulfil all conditions for the award, such as missing project scores, sitting fewer subjects than required, or lacking Continuous Assessment scores.”
Under the Competency Based Curriculum framework, candidate achievement levels are graded A to E. UNEB explained that results are derived from a combined assessment approach, with Continuous Assessment contributing 20 percent and the End of Cycle Examination contributing 80 percent.
“The achievement levels are determined through systematic statistical and psychometric analysis to ensure fairness and objectivity,” Odongo explained.
Special Needs Education candidates were also accommodated extensively. A total of 708 candidates registered, comprising 342 males and 366 females. These included 27 blind candidates, 116 with low vision, 60 deaf, 90 dyslexic, 72 physically handicapped and 343 with other disabilities requiring extra time, including those with sickle cell anaemia, epilepsy and accident related conditions.
According to UNEB officials, only four Special Needs candidates were absent during the examinations.
UNEB said comprehensive arrangements were made to ensure fairness, including Braille question papers, sign language interpreters, enlarged print papers, support personnel and an additional 45 minutes per paper.
Cases of examination malpractice remained minimal, with 63 cases reported, largely in Mathematics and practical papers in Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
“In a few instances, there was overwhelming evidence that some candidates were provided with experimental results by teachers, which they merely copied,” Odongo said.
He added, “Under the Competency Based Assessment framework, candidates must design and conduct investigations. Where the investigation design did not correspond with the recorded results, malpractice was evident.”
UNEB Chairperson Celestino Obua hailed the progress made in the second cohort under the Competency Based Curriculum.
“Whereas in 2024 UNEB was treading on new ground, the 2025 terrain proved far more familiar, with significantly improved institutional capacity. I sincerely commend the Executive Director and staff for their dedication and professionalism which has enabled the successful release of these results,” Prof Obua said.
He reiterated that the curriculum reform is yielding measurable benefits.
“The findings confirm that the Competency Based Curriculum is a strong and transformative reform, well positioned to produce the type of Ugandans needed to drive socio economic transformation,” he said.
According to the Board’s study, learners under the new curriculum demonstrate stronger research skills, improved creativity and innovation, better communication abilities and enhanced critical thinking and problem solving capacity.
“These outcomes affirm that the curriculum is strategic in shaping a competent and globally competitive generation,” Prof. Obua added.
UNEB further announced that the Senior Five selection exercise will be conducted from February 18–19. Senior Five students are expected to report for the first term on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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