2025 PLE RESULTS : A total of 730,233 candidates have passed the 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has announced, even as thousands of candidates in several districts await their results following their suspension over alleged examination malpractice.
The results have been released today at State Lodge, Nakasero, by the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni.
According to UNEB, 388,293 candidates have scored Division Two, making it the most common grade. This was followed by 165,226 candidates in Division Three, while 91,990 candidates attained Division One. A further 84,724 candidates passed in Division Four.
Overall performance showed improvement compared to the previous year. UNEB reported that 7,503 more candidates passed PLE in 2025 than in 2024, while the number of candidates achieving Division One increased by 7,689.
Gender analysis shows that more girls 380,264 passed the examinations than boys, who numbered 349,969. However, boys outperformed girls proportionally.
48,220 boys (12.54%) attained Division One, compared to 43,770 girls (10.35%).
In Division Two, 186,638 boys (48.54%) passed, compared to 47.69% of girls.
Failure rates were higher among girls, with 42,580 (10.07%) ungraded, compared to 34,500 boys (8.97%).
A total of 817,883 candidates from 15,388 examination centres registered for the 2025 PLE, up from 797,444 candidates in 2024, representing a 2.6 percent increase in registration. Of these, 522,036 candidates (63.8%) were from Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools, while 295,847 candidates (36.2%) were from non-UPE schools.
Despite the generally positive performance, UNEB withheld results for thousands of candidates in Kampala, Mukono and Kisoro, citing aggressive examination malpractice. Results have also been suspended in Namutumba, Kassanda, Buyende and Kaliro districts.
Speaking during the release, UNEB Executive Director Dan N. Odongo said examination malpractice has escalated from covert collusion to open confrontation. He revealed that some school directors and headteachers allegedly bribed or threatened invigilators with physical harm to allow teachers to assist pupils inside examination rooms.
Odongo further noted that some officials in district education offices may be complicit in the malpractice. He said UNEB’s Security Committee will act as a tribunal to accord affected candidates a fair hearing before a final decision is made on whether the withheld results will be cancelled or released.
However, Odongo commended Kyenjojo, Kabarole and Bundibugyo districts for notable improvements in examination integrity. He singled out Kyenjojo, which registered zero cases of malpractice in 2025 following strict disciplinary action taken against errant officials the previous year.
UNEB said the withheld results will remain frozen until investigations are concluded. Results for candidates not implicated in malpractice have been uploaded to the UNEB centre portal, while hard copies will be available for collection by district inspectors starting Monday next week
