UACE2018: Girls outperform boys, results of 91 candidates held

The Uganda National Examination Board (Uneb) has today, Thursday February 28, released the 2018 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results.

Daniel Nokrach Odongo, the board’s Executive Secretary revealed that although candidature dropped by 1,693, compared to that of 2017, the female candidates performed better than their male counterparts, just like last year.

Female candidates constituted 41.6 per cent of the total number of candidates, where 41,296 registered for the exams compared to 41,932 in 2017.

“The failure rate of girls stood at 0.8 per cent compared to the males who posted 1.8 per cent,” Odongo said, adding that in many centres, however, performance continued to show inadequate syllabus coverage.

“In terms of percentages, female candidates performed better than their male counterparts at the principal level pass (A-E) in Arts (Humanities), Physics and Agriculture. Male candidates were better in Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Art and General Paper.”

“The quality of work showed poor preparation for the candidates for exams. Candidates failed to prerecord data and make meaning of the data recorded during practicals. A lot of cram work noted,” he said at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.

At least 63,123 candidates who sat for the exams qualify for University admission, with at least two principal passes.

Odongo also noted that results of 91 candidates from 21 centres are still withheld due to various cases including impersonation.

Also, Uneb has withdrawn Centre U2804, allocated to Seesa High School, Kakungube, in Kasanda District, due to gross violation of examination regulations, both at UCE and UACE.

A total of 99,576 candidates registered for the exams from 2,094 centres compared to 101,269 candidates from 1918 centres in 2017 which is a decrease of 1,693 candidates (1.7 per cent).

On the other hand, of the registered 2018 candidates, government sponsored were 18,550 (12,577 males and 5,973 females) while private candidates were 81,122 (45,782 males and 35,340 females).