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Odongo noted that the higher qualification rate means universities will need to expand capacity to accommodate the additional learners. He is optimistic that an extra 21,018 university places should be available to absorb these candidates,” he said.
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A total of 145,129 candidates who sat the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations qualify for admission to universities and other tertiary institutions following an overall improvement in performance.
Results released by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) show that 98.9 per cent of candidates obtained the UACE certificate. Under current regulations, a candidate needs at least a subsidiary pass in a principal subject to qualify for the certificate.
Presenting the results, UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo said 113,291 candidates, representing 68.6 per cent, attained the minimum requirement of two Principal passes for admission to degree programmes. This marks an increase from 92,273 candidates (65.5 per cent) recorded in 2024.
Odongo said the improvement reflects a significant rise in the number of candidates who registered and sat the examination in 2025.
According to the results statement, if admission to other tertiary institutions, such as diploma programmes in technical and vocational institutions, is considered based on one principal pass and two Subsidiary passes, then 145,129 candidates, representing 87.9 per cent of the cohort, qualify for further studies.
Odongo noted that the higher qualification rate means universities will need to expand capacity to accommodate the additional learners. He is optimistic that an extra 21,018 university places should be available to absorb these candidates,” he said.
Commenting on the required additional post-secondary spaces, Education and Sports Minister Janet Museveni expressed confidence that both public and private tertiary institutions have sufficient capacity to absorb the growing number of qualified learners.
However, she urged students to also consider opportunities in technical and vocational training institutions. Museveni noted that many young people overlook the opportunities available in technical and vocational education, yet graduates from these institutions are often quickly absorbed into industries or establish their own businesses.
“What our young people appear not to appreciate are the opportunities available in our technical and vocational institutions. Products of these institutions are readily taken up by industries or are able to create jobs by themselves. I continue to encourage them to consider that career path. The rewards are visible,” she said.
Meanwhile, the board also reported a sharp rise in candidature in recent years. In the post-COVID period, the number of candidates sitting the examination has grown from 96,557 to 165,172, representing a 71 per cent increase.
Absenteeism also declined. A total of 1,228 candidates (0.7 per cent) registered but did not sit the examination, compared to 1,108 candidates (0.8 per cent) in 2024. UNEB noted that absenteeism has steadily dropped from about 1 per cent recorded in 2020.
Despite the growth in candidature, the number of learners who proceed to sit UACE still represents less than half of those who sat the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) two years earlier. Officials from the Ministry of Education say many students pursue alternative post-UCE pathways, including technical and vocational training programmes.
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