The Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) has released the Uganda Certificate Examinations (UCE) 2023 results, revealing a significant improvement in the subjects of Biology and Mathematics. The results were unveiled today at State House, Nakasero, marking an important milestone for the education sector.
Dan Odongo, the UNEB Executive Director, commended the performance of candidates, noting a remarkable improvement in English language, Religious Education, Mathematics, and Biology. Conversely, there was a noticeable drop in History, Agriculture, and Physics scores.
According to Odongo, the overall performance in the sciences continues to present a cause for concern. Unfortunately, less than 20% of the candidates achieved a credit pass level in Physics and Chemistry, with more than 40% struggling to pass these subjects. Nevertheless, there is reason for optimism as Biology displayed a positive upturn in performance, which had been on a steady decline in previous years.
“The improvement in Biology can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Biology Teachers’ Association. They engaged in discussions to identify and address the root causes of poor performance in the subject,” remarked Odongo.
UNEB also reported an increase in the number of candidates registering for the 2023 exams, with more girls and boys participating compared to the previous year.
“The candidature increased by 15,008 (4.3%) from 349,459 in 2022 to 364,469 in 2023. The candidates sat for the examinations across 3,808 examination centers. Among them, 118,633 (32.5%) were beneficiaries of the Universal Secondary Education (USE) program. The number of male candidates was 180,471 (49.5%), while 183,998 (50.5%) were female,” stated Prof. Celestino Obua, UNEB Chairperson.
The official release ceremony was presided over by the Minister for Education and Sports, Mama Janet K. Museveni, who is also the First Lady of Uganda. These UCE 2023 candidates were the final cohort to sit for the examination under the old curriculum. In light of this, UNEB announced their plans to facilitate a seamless transition from the old to the new curriculum.
To ensure smooth implementation, UNEB intends to engage various stakeholders to create awareness about the new Lower Secondary Curriculum and the forthcoming changes in areas such as reporting of results and certification.
As the nation celebrates the achievements of these candidates, it is essential to recognize the concerted efforts of both educators and students, who have shown resilience and determination in the face of substantial challenges. With the improvements seen in Biology and Mathematics, there is hope for even greater success in the future as Uganda continues to prioritize science studeies.
