Celebration as 98% of UACE candidates qualify for University

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has released the 2024 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results. The results indicate a significant rise in the number of candidates compared to previous years.

A total of 141,996 students registered for the exams, an increase of 31,430 (28.4%) from the 110,566 candidates in 2023. Of those who registered, 140,888 sat for the exams, compared to 109,486 in 2023—an increase of 31,402 (28.7%).

Out of the total candidates, 61,598 were female, accounting for 43.7%, while 79,290 were male, making up 56.3%. Males also formed the majority of the increased candidature, contributing 53.1% (16,695) to the growth.

The results indicate that 1,632 candidates failed the exams and will have to retake senior six. Meanwhile, the majority of students performed well, with 54,338 obtaining three principal passes, 37,935 earning two principal passes, and 29,233 getting one principal pass.

According to UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo, 98.8% of students qualify for the UACE certificate.

“A very high percentage of candidates (98.8%) qualified for the award of the UACE, just as was in 2023,” he stated.

For university admissions, 65.5% of candidates meet the requirements for degree programs, meaning 92,273 students are eligible to enroll. In contrast, 73.8% (80,816 students) qualified in 2023. The surge in students sitting for exams in 2024 has created the need for an additional 11,457 university slots.

“University admissions to degree courses have, to date, been considering 2 principal-level passes as the minimum requirement. If this consideration is maintained, 92,273 (65.5%) qualify to be admitted, compared to 80,816 (73.8%) in 2023. This is consistent with the fact that there was a significant increase in entries for the examination in 2024. An extra 11,457 university places must be available to absorb these,” Odongo explained.

For students who do not meet the two-principal pass requirement but have at least one principal and two subsidiary passes, they can still qualify for other tertiary institutions. In total, 121,506 candidates (86.2%) meet these criteria.

Additionally, 35,652 students were registered under the Universal Post O-Level Education and Training (UPOLET) program, representing 25.1% of all candidates. Among them, 22,500 were male (15.8% of total candidates), and 13,152 were female (9.3% of total candidates).

Despite the general improvement in numbers, female candidates remain fewer than males at this level. The report highlights a continuous gender gap in the UACE candidature, with males outnumbering females.