The UCE 2024 results (Uganda Certificate of Education) were officially released on February 11, 2025, by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). This release was notably earlier than the previous year’s, underscoring UNEB’s dedication to efficiency.
Last year, UNEB conducted two sets of exams: one based on the new lower secondary school curriculum and another based on the old curriculum, to allow learners who did not pass the 2023 UCE to transition to A level.
Key Highlights:
- The New Era: Competency-Based Curriculum:
The 2024 UCE exams marked the inaugural assessment under Uganda’s new lower secondary competency-based curriculum, introduced in 2020. This innovative approach focuses on developing learners’ practical skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities rather than traditional rote learning.
Despite challenges, including disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, the curriculum aims to learners’ competencies across various areas, fostering self-learning and contributing to Uganda’s national vision of transformation.
Candidate Statistics:
- A total of 359,417 candidates registered as the pioneer candidates for the examination under the new curriculum. 177,133 (49.3%) were males and 182,284 were females.Of the registered candidates, 136,785 (38.1%) were beneficiaries of the USE programme and 222,623 (61.9%) were non-USE.A total of 10,141 registered for UCE 2024 (Transitional Exam) under the old curriculum from 1,028 centers. Of these, 4,369 (43.1%) were males, and 5,373 (52.9%) were females, indicating a higher female participation. Of the total number registered, 9,742 (96.1%) sat for the examination (4,369 males and 5,373 females).
- 8,113 candidates who sat for the 2024 UCE exams under the old curriculum passed.
Performance Overview:
- Approximately 98.05% of candidates met the minimum requirements, qualifying for the UCE certificate. However, challenges such as inadequate science laboratories and a shortage of science teachers impacted performance in practical subjects.
- The overall results showed that 350,146 (98.05%) candidates passed and qualified for the UCE certificate which demonstrated a significant improvement in performance.
- Subjects such as Mathematics, English, and Science recorded slight improvements, while humanities subjects maintained steady performance levels.
Grading of UCE 2024 under the new curriculum:
- The results introduced a new grading system, replacing traditional stanine system of 1 to 9 (Distinctions, credits, pass and fail) with letter grades: A (Exceptional), B (Outstanding), C (Satisfactory), D (Basic), and E (Elementary).
- Additionally, what used to be called a result slip is now called a transcript (Just like at university)
Malpractice Reduction:
There was a significant decrease in examination malpractice cases, with only 984 suspected incidents reported, down from nearly 3,000 the previous year. The nature of competency-based questions made cheating more difficult, as students were required to demonstrate understanding rather than memorize answers. However, the majority of malpractice cases occurred in science practical exams, particularly in Physics, where cases involved teachers providing candidates with experimental results instead of allowing them to conduct experiments themselves.
Accessing Results:
Candidates can access their results online through the UNEB eReg Portal or by sending their index number to 6600 via SMS.
For example; Type UCE [leave a space], type the full index number and send to 6600.
Note: The index numbers for the transitional candidates end with ‘T’ for example: U0000/001T
The selection process:
The selection exercise for Senior Five will take place between February 20th to 21st.
When are Senior Five candidates reporting?
The first term reporting date for Senior Five is March 3. It will be a Monday.
The release of the 2024 UCE results under the new curriculum represents a significant milestone in Uganda’s education sector, emphasizing practical skills and critical thinking over rote memorization. Continued investment in teacher training, laboratory facilities, and school infrastructure will be crucial in ensuring the long-term success of this competency-based approach.