Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has released the 2023 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examination results.
According to UNEB Executive Director, Dan Odongo, a total of 110,553 candidates registered for the 2023 UACE examination from 2,102 centres compared to 97,890 candidates from 1,969 centres in 2022.
He said this is an increase of 12,663 candidates (12.9%). Of these, 47,226 (42.7%) were females and 63,339 (57.3%) were males. Candidates who appeared for the examination numbered 109,488, compared to 96,557 in 2022, an increase of 12,931 candidates (13.4%).
Of these, 46,860 (42.8%) were females and 62,628 (57.2%) were males. At this level, the number of female candidates has consistently been much lower than that of the males.
“Although female candidates are fewer in number than the male candidates, proportionally, they performed better than their male counterparts did,” said Odongo while releasing the examination results at State House, Nakasero in Kampala.
He added: “The percentage passes at the upper levels (3P and 2P) are higher, while percentage passes at the lower levels and failure rate among female candidates are lower than for the males. This has been the observed trend in the last three years.”
According to Odongo, the number of candidates registering and appearing for Mathematics and the Sciences is gradually increasing, with Mathematics showing the greatest promise.
“However, overall, the numbers have remained well below half of the total candidature. This is consistent with the fact that pass rates in these subjects in the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examination have also been low, impacting transition to UACE.”
He said Luzira Upper Prisons registered 34 inmates (30 males and 4 females). All the candidates sat the examination, and all 34 candidates qualified for the award of the UACE certificate.
“University admissions to degree courses have, up to date, been considering 2 Principal level passes as the minimum requirement. If this consideration is maintained, 80,643 (73.7%) qualify to be admitted, compared to 67,815 (70.3%) in 2022. This is consistent with the fact that there was better overall performance and a significant increase in entries for the examination in 2023,” he noted.
He went on: “In cases where one Principal and two Subsidiary passes levels are considered for admission to other tertiary institutions, 90.7%% of the candidates will qualify. This is better when compared to 2022 with 89.3%.”
He said examiners reported improvement in the quality of candidates’ work, with higher mean scores in many subject areas where performance has been reported to have improved.
“Notable has been Biology, where performance has been rather poor in the past years. The core science subjects continue to show lower than desired principal performance levels.”
The factors responsible for this state of affairs; include teaching theoretically, with candidates lacking in practical skills to perform experiments, record and interpret their results and questions based on practical experience posed problems as a result.
In his speech, Professor Celestino Obua, UNEB Chairperson, said the Board noted that entries for Sciences at UACE continue to be lower than for Humanities.
“It is gratifying though. that the numbers are going up. Honourable Minister the performance of the candidates has improved especially at the upper level of candidates obtaining 3 Principal passes,” said Prof Obua.
“We note that, once again. female candidates have performed better, Proportionally, than the males at all levels and have shown a lower failure rate. Even at individual subject levels, they have shown a better performance.”
“However, we continue to see a low percentage of the female Candidates at this level offering Mathematics and Science combinations. The paradox, Honourable Minister, is that the girls who offer the STEM subjects perform well, if not better than the boys. Why then do the girls shy away from these subjects?” he concluded.
