By Spy Uganda
Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports has set a new standard for efficiency by releasing the 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results ahead of schedule. Initially expected later in the month, the results were officially announced by Minister Janet Museveni on February 11, 2025, reflecting the dedication and improved processes within the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
“Releasing these results earlier than last year is a testament to the commitment and hard work of UNEB,” Minister Museveni stated, emphasizing the ministry’s push for timeliness and reliability in the education sector.
First Results Under The New Curriculum
This year’s UCE exams were historic, marking the first full assessment under Uganda’s new lower secondary curriculum introduced in 2020. Despite early challenges—including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—the curriculum rollout has now gained momentum, focusing on competency-based learning rather than traditional rote memorization.
Minister Museveni highlighted the curriculum’s long-term impact, stating that it equips learners with self-learning skills, positioning them as key drivers in Uganda’s transformation from a peasant to a modern economy.
During this same release, Janet emphasized the importance of protecting students’ personal data; “The Personal Data Protection Office has drawn UNEB’s attention to the provisions of the Data Protection and Privacy Act, which prohibit the public disclosure of personal data of children.”
“Publicly displaying names, photographs, and individual grades exposes learners to harassment, stigma, and emotional distress.”
In response, she tasked UNEB, alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, with collaborating closely with the Data Protection and Privacy Office to ensure that examination results are managed in full compliance with the law.
“I now direct UNEB and all other examination and assessment agencies under the ministry to liaise with the Data Protection and Privacy Office for further guidance on full compliance,” she stated.
“The Permanent Secretary shall formally communicate to all education institutions through a circular on how to maintain students’ privacy while sharing examination outcomes.”
Key Performance Highlights
UNEB Executive Director Dan Odong presented the results, noting that 10,141 candidates registered for the exams, with 96.1% sitting for the papers. The gender breakdown showed 52.9% female candidates, a positive indicator for gender inclusivity in education.
Performance statistics included:
Additionally, special needs students demonstrated strong resilience, with most performing in Division 3 and Division 4.
Recognizing that not all candidates excelled in traditional academics, Minister Museveni urged students to explore alternative education paths. She encouraged those who did not perform well to consider vocational training, reinforcing the government’s commitment to inclusive and diverse education opportunities.
“No learner should feel left out. There are multiple ways to progress, including vocational education, which remains a viable and valuable pathway,” she emphasized.
How To Access Results
UNEB has introduced different result-checking procedures for each category:
- Transitional candidates (whose index numbers end with ‘T’) must send UCEFull Index No. (e.g., U0000/001T) to 6600.
- New curriculum candidates can use the same format but without the ‘T’ suffix.
