A total of 749,254 candidates from 15,859 centres (schools) registered for PLE in 2023 compared to 832,654 in 2022. Of this number, 501,602 (66.9%) from 11,365 centres were Universal Primary Education (UPE) beneficiaries, and 247,652 (33.1) of the candidates were Non-UPE.
The Ministry of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni is expected to release the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) results for 2023 today, around midday.
The event, anticipated to be broadcasted, will be held at State House, Nakasero, revealing the results of the examinations conducted from November 7 to 9, last year.
Speaking with our reporter on Wednesday evening, Jennifer Kalule, the Uneb spokesperson, noted that the board has already briefed the minister as required and the results are ready to be released.
With 749,347 candidates registered across 14,153 examination centres, there was a 10% decline in PLE candidates compared to 2022. However, the examination body clarified that this reduction aligns with the typical annual number of PLE candidates, excluding 2022 whose figures rose due to the fact in 2020 there were no national examinations due to COVID-19.
Among the registered candidates, 69 are inmates from Upper Prison School, Luzira. Female candidates constituted 52%, while male candidates made up 48%. The majority of examination centres, 79%, are Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools, hosting 501,619 candidates, while the remaining 21% are non-UPE centres with 247,728 candidates.
Additionally, 70% are funded under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Program, and the remaining 30% are privately sponsored. 2,580 were candidates with Special Needs.
Parents, candidates, and other stakeholders can use Short Message Services (SMS) on mobile telecom networks to check results once released. By typing “PLE,” followed by a space, the candidate’s index number, and sending it to 6600, they can access the results promptly.
However, candidates with outstanding school fee balances cannot retrieve the results through this method. The examination board (UNEB) has blocked their access until their respective schools clear them. This is what the board promised schools when it was courting them to allow students with pending balances to sit for the exams.
The primary examinations are high-stakes assessments eagerly anticipated by almost everyone in the country, as many individuals either have children they know or are connected to someone who might have taken the exam.