A substantial 10.4% of candidates, totaling 88,269, who took the 2023 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), failed to secure a grade and received a Division U (Ungraded), according to Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) executive secretary, Dan Odongo.
The 749,347 candidates who participated in the national exams included 247,728 pupils from private schools and the remaining from Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools. The trend of a higher proportion of candidates passing in Division 3 and above continued from the previous year.
Mr. Odongo expressed concern over the significant number of candidates in Division U, emphasizing that urgent attention is needed to prevent them from contributing to school dropout statistics.
The Minister of Education, Janet Museveni, responded by instructing the Permanent Secretary to devise a plan for affected pupils, allowing them to repeat Primary Seven in public schools for additional support.
Table: Demographics of PLE Candidates
| School Type | No. of Candidates | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Private Schools | 247,728 | – |
| UPE Schools | [Remaining] | – |
| Total | 749,347 | – |
Girls continued to dominate PLE candidates for the second consecutive year, comprising 52% (391,558 pupils), while male candidates were 48% (357,789). Additionally, 2,436 Special Needs Education learners and 79 inmates (13 female, 66 male) from Upper Prison School Luzira participated in the exams.
Mr. Odongo cautioned against fraudsters who falsely claimed access to the UNEB grading system.
