By Lilah Bbaale
The Uganda Examination Board (Uneb) has observed an increased pass rates in science and mathematics in the 2023 Primary Leaving Examination, despite the overall candidates’ performance not showing significant improvement compared to the previous year.
The overall candidates’ performance has not shown significant improvement compared to the previous year, the Uganda Examination Board has observed an increased proficiency in science and mathematics subjects in the 2023 primary leaving examination.
The results released by the examination body on Thursday afternoon show that more than 91.0 percent of the candidates which is 670.607 of total 736,931 of those who sat the examinations successfully passed science, achieving at least a Pass eight.
This marks an improvement from last year’s 89.6 percent. Remarkably, science garnered the highest number of distinctions, with 72,219 candidates, representing 9.8 percent of the total, achieving at least distinction two in the subject.
In mathematics, 85.3 percent of the candidates passed the subject and attained at least a Pass 8, a notable increase from the 80.7 percent recorded last year. Additionally, there was improvement in English, although the percentage of candidates achieving distinctions one and two in the subject dropped from 12.2 percent of the registered candidates to 7.8 percent.
Performance in social studies remained comparable to that of the previous year; however, this time, fewer learners were able to pass the subject at distinction levels. Social studies emerged as the second-best-performed subject at distinction levels, with 9.4 percent of candidates successfully achieving distinction one and two.
Dan Odongo, the UNEB Executive director, pointed out that the analysis indicates female students outperformed males in English. Conversely, the reverse holds true for the other three subjects. This trend has persisted over the past years.
Meanwhile, a total of 86,582 candidates obtained a division one, constituting 11.8 percent of the registered candidates. this means that there was decline in the number of students obtaining first grades compared to those who passed at this level in 2022. Additionally, 336,507 candidates passed with division, while 156,290 obtained division three.
Furthermore, 69,283 candidates successfully passed in fourth-grade distinction. Odongo noted that a higher proportion of the 2023 candidates passed at the division three and above level. However, the number of candidates who attained division four is relatively similar to those of 2022, as in both years, 88 percent of the registered candidates successfully passed the examinations.
A total of 88,269 candidates were listed as ungraded. Odongo states that these candidates cannot progress to lower secondary level, as they did not attain the minimum level of performance necessary to be awarded at least division 4.
