In a concerning development, a total of 10,463(1.3%) candidates who registered for the 2024 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) failed to sit for the exams, according to data from the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
Out of the 797,459 candidates registered for the exams, 10,463 did not turn up to complete this crucial stage of their education.
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The UNEB Executive Director Dan Odong, while releasing the results, revealed that the absenteeism rate has become a persistent issue in the education sector.
However, the findings reveal that the percentage of absentee candidates in 2024 dropped to its lowest level in the past five years.
In 2024, a total of 10,463 candidates missed their exams. This was a decrease compared to 2023, when 12,323 candidates missed the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). In 2022, the number was significantly higher, with 20,844 candidates missing their exams. Similarly, in 2021, 12,820 candidates missed their exams, while in 2020, the figure stood at 12,502.
Findings suggest that various factors contributed to the high absenteeism. Economic hardships were cited as one of the leading causes, with many students dropping out to join informal employment or assist their families financially.
In addition, early marriages, teenage pregnancies, and lack of access to basic scholastic materials were highlighted as barriers, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
