Uneb Releases PLE Results, Many Students Under-perform

The Uganda National Examinations Board has earlier on today released the examinations results for students that sat for their Primary Leaving Examinations for the year 2023, this happened today at State house Nakasero before the first lady and also the minister for education and sports, Mama Janet Kataha Museveni

According to the board executive secretary Dan Odong, a total number of 749,254 candidates from 15,859 centres (schools) registered for for these examinations in the year 2023 compared to 832,654 in 2022. Of this number, 501,602 (66.9%) from 11,365 centres were Universal Primary Education (UPE) beneficiaries, and 247,652 (33.1) of the candidates were Non UPE

The performance of the students this time round has generally gone down and according to the comprehensive report, a higher proportion of the 2023 candidates passed in Division 3 and above level. Overall, the performance of candidates is comparable to that of 2022.

It has come to our notice that the number of candidates in Division U is quite high, at 88,269 (10.4%) and should raise concern so that they do not just add to the statistics of school drop-outs. There are districts such as Kibuku (31.5o), Madi Okollo (31.5%), Dokolo (28.9%), Kween (28.4%), Namisindwa (28.9%) where the percentages are well above the national average. Many other districts have over 20% of the candidates in Division U. It is necessary to find out the causes and address them. Division U (Ungraded) is awarded to candidates who have failed to reach the minimum level of performance that can be awarded at least a Division 4 and these are not eligible for admission to the Senior 1 class

UNEB maintains an examination centre at Uganda Government Upper Prison School, Luzira. 69 candidates were registered (as compared to the 68 registerea
in 2022). Of the 69 candidates who registered, 60 candidates sat, 2 passed in Division 1, 32 obtained Division 2, 15 obtained Division 3.5 obtained Division 4, and 6 were ungraded: while 9 did not sit for the examination.

The board also through the executive secretary reliably informed us that in accordance with Section 5(2) (b) of the UNEB Act, 2021 the Board will withhold the results of the affected candidates pending completion of investigations. Where there will be a prima facie case, the Board’s tribunal
(Examinations Security Committee) will accord all the affected candidates a fair hearing before making final decisions. After the conclusion of the hearings by
the Board’s tribunal, the list of districts and schools with cancelled results will be published.

These results will thereafter be uploaded on the examination centre oortals where every school can have access to them and download their them as soon as they are officially released. However, the District, Municipal and City Inspectors of Schools may collect hard copies of the results from UNEB offices at Ntinda from Monday, 29th January. 2024. No copies of results are available as of now. Parents, candidates and other interested parties may use the Short Messaging Service (SMS) on mobile networks, which will post results of candidates on their mobile sets instantly