KAMPALA — UNEB Board Chairperson Prof. Celestino Obua has proposed a total overhaul of the Primary Leaving Examinations reporting system, calling for the removal of numerical aggregates to curb the “desperation” fueling examination malpractice.
Speaking at the official release of the 2025 PLE results at State House Nakasero on Friday, Obua asked First Lady and Education Minister Janet Museveni to approve a 2021 proposal that would replace the current scoring system. He argued that the public’s obsession with “Aggregate 4” has created a toxic environment where schools resort to crime to maintain their rankings.
Obua described the current focus on aggregates as the “gold standard” by which parents rank schools, a pressure that has led school directors, head teachers, and even district officials to compromise the integrity of national exams.
The chairperson detailed a high-profile malpractice case in Kasanda District, which served as the epicenter for a cheating ring. In that instance, school officials allegedly cut open exam envelopes and shared content through WhatsApp groups. While eight people have already been convicted, Obua noted that the pressure to achieve perfect scores remains the root cause of such “diabolical actions.”
Beyond the push for grading reforms, Obua reported that 730,000 learners passed the 2025 exams, an improvement in performance over the previous year. He attributed this success to the government’s expansion of access to post-primary education and a shift toward competency-based assessment.
The board also highlighted the logistical hurdles faced during the 2025 cycle. Heavy rains in November damaged roads and bridges, significantly increasing the cost of conducting the exams. Obua appealed to Parliament for additional funding to cover these rising operational expenses and to support teacher capacity building.
