By Atukwatse Ritah,
KAMPALA,
A total of 807,313 pupils sat for the 2025 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) across the country, according to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). Of these candidates, 52.4 percent were girls (428,324) while 47.6 percent were boys (389,469), continuing the recent trend of more girls completing primary education than boys .
UNEB’s analysis of performance by subject shows that most learners performed at an average level in all four subjects: English, Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Social Studies with Religious Education (SST). About two-thirds of the candidates were in the medium ability category in every subject, meaning they could recall facts and understand them, but had difficulty applying knowledge to new situations .
English was the best performed subject in 2025. UNEB reported that 18.5 percent of candidates showed higher ability in English, the highest across all subjects. At least 91.9 percent of learners scored a pass (Grade 8 and above) in English, an improvement compared to 2024. Girls performed better than boys in this subject, a trend UNEB says has been consistent over the years .
Integrated Science followed closely, with 15.6 percent of candidates at higher ability level and 90.5 percent scoring a pass or better. In this subject, boys performed slightly better than girls. Examiners noted that many pupils struggled with applying science concepts to real-life situations, such as explaining how simple machines work or how diseases are controlled .
In Mathematics, 16.4 percent of candidates demonstrated higher ability, while 88.9 percent attained a pass or better. Boys generally performed better than girls, especially in the higher grades. However, many learners found challenges in applying mathematics to daily life, including calculations involving percentages, speed, distance, and time.
Social Studies with Religious Education (SST) was the least well performed subject in 2025. Only 15.9 percent of candidates reached higher ability level, and 86.7 percent scored a pass or above, a decline compared to 2024. UNEB attributed this drop to difficulties in applying knowledge about communities, climate, governance, and religious teachings to practical questions. Boys performed slightly better than girls in this subject
Overall, UNEB says the results reflect steady participation and average learning outcomes, but also highlight the need for teachers and schools to focus more on practical understanding and application of knowledge, especially under the competency-based curriculum.
