Uganda has registered a landmark achievement in education as the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) announced the results of the 2025 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, showing a significant improvement in performance compared to previous years.
Out of 429,949 candidates who sat for the exams, 428,628, representing 99.69 percent, qualified for the award of the UCE certificate, marking a sharp rise from 98.1 percent in 2024.
Speaking at the official release of the results on Friday, February 13, 2026, at State House Nakasero, UNEB Executive Director Daniel Odongo described the achievement as a milestone for Uganda’s education system. “The 2025 examinations show a very high level of achievement compared to last year. This is evidence that our education reforms, particularly the competency-based curriculum, are taking root,” Odongo said.
The 2025 exams represent the second cohort of candidates assessed under the competency-based lower secondary curriculum introduced in 2020. The curriculum replaced the traditional division grading system with a competency-based grading scale ranging from A to E. Candidates now qualify for the UCE certificate as long as they attain at least a D grade in one subject. Grade A indicates exceptional competency with innovative application, B is outstanding, C is satisfactory, D is basic, and E denotes below basic competency.
According to UNEB, this new system integrates continuous assessment scores (20%) with end-of-cycle examination results (80%), producing a more comprehensive and accurate measure of a student’s abilities. Odongo explained, “The achievement levels for each subject are arrived at through a systematic technical process using statistical and psychometric methods, combining school-based assessment with national examination scores.”
The results also highlight remarkable gains in specific subjects. Exceptional performance was particularly notable in Christian Religious Education, Geography, and English. In the sciences, improvements were even more pronounced. For instance, the proportion of candidates who failed to attain a minimum D grade in general subjects fell from 12.8 percent in 2024 to just 0.7 percent in 2025. In Chemistry, failure rates dropped from 6.1 percent to 0.6 percent.
Gender performance analysis shows female candidates excelling in English and Christian Religious Education, while male students performed slightly better in a few other subjects. Odongo observed that overall, performance between the genders is very close, with most candidates scoring at the C level.
The 2025 results also reflected inclusivity and access for marginalized groups. At Luzira Prison, 39 of 40 registered inmate candidates sat for the exams, all qualifying for the UCE certificate. Mbarara Main Prisons’ 12 candidates also achieved 100 percent success. For Special Needs Education (SNE) learners, 708 candidates registered, including students with visual and hearing impairments, dyslexia, and physical disabilities. Of these, 695, or 98.2 percent, successfully qualified, demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted support for vulnerable learners.
The scale of the 2025 examinations was unprecedented. Exams were conducted across 3,975 centers nationwide. Of the total candidates, 204,292 were male (47.3 percent) and 227,817 female (52.7 percent). About 35.8 percent of students were beneficiaries of the Universal Secondary Education (USE) program, with the remaining 64.2 percent privately sponsored. Attendance was high at 99.5 percent, indicating strong commitment from schools and students alike.
Education analysts note that these results are a positive sign that Uganda’s shift to competency-based learning is bearing fruit, providing students with not only academic knowledge but also practical skills applicable in real-life scenarios. “The results show that students are increasingly able to demonstrate understanding and apply what they learn, which is the ultimate goal of competency-based education,” said Dr. Stella Nakaye, an education policy expert.
Despite the progress, Odongo cautioned against complacency. “While this is a great achievement, we must continue to support teachers, improve learning resources, and provide training in competency-based assessment to ensure sustainable quality education,” he emphasized.
The 2025 UCE results, therefore, not only reflect individual student achievement but also underscore the broader success of education reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes, inclusivity, and assessment integrity. As Uganda continues to implement the competency-based curriculum, the results will serve as a benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of education policies and planning for the future of secondary education in the country.
