The Minister of Education and Sports, First lady Janet K Museveni has today 27th January 2023, released the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) at State House Nakasero.
According to the Executive Secretary of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) Mr. Dan N Odongo, a total of 832, 654 pupils took their PLE papers on 8th and 9th November 2022 at 14,691 centers across the country. Of these, 583,768 (70.1%) from 11,306 centres were UPE beneficiaries, and 248,982 (29.9%) were Non UPE. Odongo also remarked that more girls than boys completed the Primary Education Cycle at 432,554 (51.9%) compared to 400,100 (48.1%).
Last week, Mr. Odongo revealed that the marking of PLE papers was completed before the Christmas break adding that a total of 5,544 examiners marked the papers at 13 marking centers.
The Executive Secretary also noted that there has been an improvement in the general performance notably in the English and Mathematics subjects where 12% of the candidates managed to score at least a Distinction in English and 6% in mathematics compared to last year’s 4.7%.
“More pupils have qualified to join the post-primary institutions compared to last year,” said Odongo.
However, the UNEB Chairperson Prof. Mary Okwakol noted some significant challenges like the hindrances from the Covid-19 and the outbreak of Ebola specially in Kassanda and Mubende Districts.
“We are grateful to God that no Ebola or COVID-19 case or fatality was reported at any examination center countrywide,” said Okwakol.
The Examination body also notes that there have been a few elements of malpractice in Gomba, Mukono, Mpigi and Greater Masaka and in such incidences such matters have already been forwarded to the UNEB Security Committee which will decide which results to cancel, withhold or to be released. On Thursday January 19th 2023, four suspects were charged and remanded in connection with examination malpractice.
It is alleged that between November 8th and 9th 2022, whereas the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) were being conducted countrywide, the accused were in possession of electrical examination material/ information and were equally involved in electrical transmission of the same information.
The Minister thanked all those that participated in the execution of the exercise amidst searing challenges such as the scouts, Ministry of Health officials, UNICEF for provision of buses ferry candidates in the Ebola stricken Districts, and the UPDF for airlifting candidates in Ntoroko district.
After the release of the PLE results, UNEB said that they will be preparing to release the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results for the Senior four candidates at a later date that will be communicated. Mr. Odongo also confirmed that the marking of the UCE papers had been completed before the Christmas break.
According to UNEB, parents can check their kids results by simply typing PLE *space* Full student index number and send to 6600.
