The long-awaited 2025 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results were officially released yesterday, Friday, January 30, 2026, at State Lodge, Nakasero, with authorities reporting improvement in completion of the primary school cycle.
Presenting the results, Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) Executive Director, Mr Dan Odongo, said the figures reflect improved participation and retention in the primary education cycle.
“We are pleased to present to you the results of the 2025 Primary Leaving Examination,” Mr Odongo told the Minister of Education and Sports and other stakeholders. “Candidature increased to 817,883 pupils from 15,388 centres, compared to last year, which demonstrates strong participation in the national education system.”
According to UNEB data, 817,883 candidates registered for the examination in 2025, up from 797,444 candidates in 2024. Of these, 522,036 candidates (63.8 percent) from 11,525 centres were Universal Primary Education (UPE) beneficiaries, while 295,847 candidates (36.2 percent) from 3,863 centres were non-UPE candidates.
Mr Odongo noted that more candidates attained higher grades compared to last year, with over 48,000 pupils achieving Division One, while many others obtained Division Two and Division Three passes, which qualify them to proceed to secondary education or vocational training.
UNEB statistics further indicate that a growing number of children who enrolled in Primary One successfully completed the seven-year primary school cycle, a development welcomed by the Ministry of Education.
Receiving the results, Education and Sports Minister Janet Kataha Museveni said the figures demonstrate progress in keeping learners in school.
“This is an indication that more children who started Primary One remained in school to the end of the cycle,” Ms Museveni said. “We are pleased with the increase in the number of children completing primary education. This is a sign of progress for our nation.”
However, the minister cautioned that gender disparities in completion rates persist, noting with concern that the proportion of boys completing the cycle continues to decline.
“This calls for renewed effort from parents, communities and education practitioners to ensure that all children are supported to complete their education,” she added.
On examination quality, examiners and curriculum specialists commended the overall standard of the papers, noting that they reflected the ongoing shift toward competency-based learning, with questions designed to assess learners’ ability to apply knowledge and skills.
Nevertheless, UNEB observed that some teachers, particularly in Social Studies and Religious Education, have not fully adapted their teaching approaches to the new assessment framework. As a result, many candidates struggled with application-based questions, especially those linked to community and national contexts. This partly explains the decline in performance in some subjects compared to 2024.
Examiners also raised concerns over the circulation of misleading materials developed by so-called examination bureaus shortly before the exams, which negatively affected candidate preparedness.
Welcoming the results, Uganda National Teachers’ Union Chairperson, Ms Grace Akello, pledged continued professional development for teachers.
“Today’s outcomes remind us that when teachers are equipped and supported, learners succeed. We will continue working with the ministry to strengthen classroom practice,” she said.
Parents and community leaders also expressed optimism. “Receiving these results gives hope not just to families but to our entire community,” said Mr Samuel Bamuturaki, a parent from Masaka District. “We are encouraged that our children are progressing, and we will continue to support their studies.”
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to Universal Primary Education and urged learners and parents to consider alternative education pathways, including technical and vocational education, now strengthened under the TVET Act 2025. “Primary Seven is a foundation. Whether learners proceed to Senior One or pursue skills training, there are opportunities for every child,” she said.
In terms of gender performance, more girls (380,264) passed in absolute numbers compared to boys (349,969). However, boys proportionally outperformed girls in the top divisions, Division One and Division Two.
Subject-wise, English performance improved compared to 2024, while Social Studies recorded weaker outcomes.
Meanwhile, parents and guardians can access results via mobile phone by following this procedure:
Go to the Messages menu, type PLE followed by a space and the candidate’s full index number, and send to 6600 on MTN Uganda or Airtel Uganda. Results are delivered instantly.
PLE 2025 AT A GLANCE
Total candidates (2025):
817,883 (from 15,388 centres)
Candidates (2024):
797,444
Increase in candidature:
+20,439 candidates
UPE candidates:
522,036 (63.8%)
Non-UPE candidates:
295,847 (36.2%)
Top performance:
Over 48,000 candidates attained Division One
Gender performance:
- Girls who passed: 380,264
- Boys who passed: 349,969
- Boys performed better proportionally in Division One & Two
Subject trends:
- English: Improved performance
- Social Studies: Decline compared to 2024
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