An overwhelming 98.9 percent of candidates qualified for the UACE certificate.
KAMPALA, UGANDA – The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has officially released the results for the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations, revealing a significant 17.2 percent increase in candidature alongside an overall improvement in performance.
The results were presented to the Minister of Education and Sports on Friday, March 13, 2026, by the Executive Director of UNEB, Dan Odongo. A total of 166,400 candidates registered for the examinations, which were conducted from November 10 to December 5, 2025, a sharp rise from the 141,996 candidates in 2024. Of those who registered, 165,172 candidates ultimately sat for the exams. The number of examination centres also grew by 8.7 percent, from 2,255 in 2024 to 2,452 in 2025.
Performance Highlights
According to the report, 68,906 candidates (41.7%) obtained three Principal passes (3P), a notable increase from 54,338 (38.6%) in the previous year. Furthermore, 113,291 candidates (68.6%) achieved the traditional benchmark for university admission of at least two Principal passes, compared to 65.5% in 2024.
An overwhelming 98.9 percent of candidates qualified for the UACE certificate.
Gender Dynamics
While male candidates still outnumbered their female counterparts (56.2% male vs. 43.8% female), the results showed that female candidates performed better proportionally. The percentage of female candidates achieving three Principal passes (44.6%) and two Principal passes (28.2%) was higher than that of their male colleagues.
Subject Performance and Sciences
The report highlighted significant improvements in key subjects including Mathematics, Chemistry, Agriculture, Geography, Economics, Biology, and Literature in English. However, noticeable drops in performance were recorded in Entrepreneurship Education, Christian Religious Education, Fine Art, and Physics.
In a positive trend for the government’s science education drive, entries for Mathematics and most science subjects continued their steady rise over the last five years, with the exception of Physics, which saw a slight dip.
Challenges and Observations
Examiners noted a recurring problem across subjects: the failure of candidates to relate academic knowledge to real-life situations. In the humanities, poor interpretation of questions and a lack of analytical skills were cited. In the sciences, inadequate practical exposure and difficulties in interpreting experimental data remained challenges.
Examination Malpractice
Malpractice cases remained low, with incidents reported from 47 out of 2,452 centres, involving 351 candidates (0.2% of total candidature). Offences included receiving assistance in science practicals and possession of unauthorized materials. The results of those implicated have been withheld pending investigations.
Special Interest Groups
A total of 540 Special Needs Education (SNE) candidates registered for the exams, receiving accommodations such as braille papers, large print, sign language interpreters, and extra time. Additionally, 68 candidates from Uganda Government Upper Prison, Luzira, sat for the examination, with 66 of them qualifying for the UACE certificate.
How to Access Results
Schools can download the results from their examination centre portals. Hard copies will be available for collection from UNEB offices in Kyambogo next week.
Candidates and parents can also access results via SMS on MTN and Airtel networks by typing UACE, leaving a space, entering the candidate's full index number (e.g., U0000/501), and sending to 6600.
