The 2024 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams witnessed a remarkable increase in candidature, with 141,996 candidates registering compared to 110,566 in 2023.
This was revealed by Dan Odong, the Uganda National Examinations Board Executive Director.
He stated that this represents a significant 28.4% rise, with males accounting for 53.1% (16,695) of the increased candidature.
“Of the total candidates, 61,957 (43.6%) were females, while 80,039 (56.4%) were males. Notably, the number of female candidates has been consistently lower than that of males, but it has been increasing steadily.” Odong said.
The increase in candidature may be attributed to the change in admission criteria for primary school teachers.
Previously, candidates who completed their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) would opt for Grade Three teacher training. However, with the new criteria, many chose to pursue the UACE pathway instead.
The number of examination centers also increased by 154 (7.3%) from 2,101 in 2023 to 2,255 in 2024.
“This expansion aims to accommodate the growing number of candidates and ensure a smoother examination process.” Odong clarified.
