KAMPALA, Uganda – Only 11.3% of candidates who sat for the 2025 Primary Leaving Examination achieved a Division 1 grade, as the Uganda National Examinations Board warns that most learners still lack critical problem-solving skills.
Data released Friday shows that while the total number of students qualifying for the top division rose to 91,990 from 84,301 in 2024, the vast majority of the 817,883 candidates remain clustered in the middle and lower achievement brackets.
UNEB Executive Director Dan N. Odongo said an analysis of the results found that roughly two-thirds of all candidates fall into the medium-ability category. These students are able to recall basic facts but struggle significantly when asked to apply that knowledge to real-life situations.
The performance breakdown reveals a widening gap between rote memorization and practical understanding:
- Division 1:39% (91,990 candidates)
- Division 2:10% (388,293 candidates)
- Division 3:47% (165,226 candidates)
- Division 4:49% (84,724 candidates)
- Ungraded:55% (77,080 candidates)
The report highlighted that less than 20% of candidates exhibited “higher ability” levels in any of the four core subjects. English saw the highest proportion of top performers at 18.5%, while social studies with religious education was the worst-performed subject, following a significant decline from the previous year.
Odongo noted that the results reflect a “paradigm shift” in the exams toward competency-based assessment. He observed that while the papers now require students to demonstrate how they would use their knowledge in their communities, many teachers have not yet adjusted their instruction methods to match this standard.
The board also reported a persistent gender gap in performance. While more girls completed the primary cycle than boys this year, male candidates recorded a higher percentage of Division 1 and 2 grades and a lower overall failure rate.
Results for 10,570 candidates were not recorded as they were absent from the examinations, a figure that remained steady at 1.3% of total registration.
