Uganda Primary Leaving Examination Candidature and Performance, 2020–2025: A Descriptive Analysis of the 2025 UNEB Release Statement

Abstract

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) 2025 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) release statement provides rich administrative data on candidature, participation, performance, and equity-related dimensions over the 2020–2025 period. This manuscript synthesises these data into an integrated analysis of trends in access, learning outcomes, and inclusion in Uganda’s primary education system, framed by the UNEB Chair’s remarks emphasising both “cause for celebration and cause for concern.” Candidature rose steadily to 817,883 in 2025, with 63.8% from Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools and a persistent pattern of more girls than boys reaching the end of the primary cycle. Absenteeism declined and stabilised at 1.3% in 2024–2025, despite expanding enrolment and recurring logistical constraints, reflecting the system's resilience, as highlighted by the Chair. Proficiency profiles indicate that fewer than one in five candidates attain higher-ability levels in any subject, with the majority concentrated in medium-ability bands. Subject-specific patterns are mixed: English shows improved performance relative to 2024, whereas Social Studies with Religious Education records a downturn. Divisional outcomes indicate an increased share of candidates in Division 1 and a higher absolute number of passes in 2025, suggesting modest gains in attainment at the top and middle of the distribution. Gender-disaggregated analyses reveal that boys continue to outperform girls in higher divisions and in Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics, even as girls constitute the majority of candidates. Participation among learners with special needs and among prison inmates increased over the period, signalling incremental progress toward more inclusive assessment, in line with the Chair’s call to “leave no learner behind.” The analysis underscores that while access and completion have expanded, persistent learning deficits, gendered achievement gaps, and uneven subject performance require targeted instructional support, gender-responsive interventions, and sustained investment in foundational learning to realise equitable, high-quality outcomes in Uganda’s basic education.