Uneb Executive Director, Dan Odongo, clarified that the grading system for all candidates is uniformly applied through automation, addressing concerns of selectivity and accessibility of candidates’ scripts.
Speaking after the release of last year’s Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results, Odongo explained that the grading process involves a thorough assessment by all stakeholders. Senior examiners convene to evaluate candidates’ performance nationally and determine the corresponding marks for distinctions, credits, and passes. These points are then inputted into the system, which operates automatically without human intervention.
Responding to claims on social media about skewed grading and easy access to candidates’ scripts, Odongo dismissed them as unfounded, emphasizing stringent security measures in place to safeguard script access.
The grading system follows established criteria, where a D1 ranges from 80 percent to 100 percent and an F9 represents scores between 0 and 39 percent, maintaining consistency with previous years’ UCE grading.
While some critics like Sylvia Namabidde, former chairperson of the Education committee of Parliament, express concerns about equity in grading, Patrick Kaboyo, general secretary of the Federation of Non-State Education Institutions, sees grading as only a part of the assessment process, advocating for periodic reviews to align with societal demands.
Last year’s UCE candidature increased by 4.3 percent, totaling 364,469 candidates from 3,808 examination centers, with 32.5 percent benefiting from the government’s Universal Secondary Education program.
