UACE: Uneb urges government to strengthen STEM education
A Uganda National Examinations Board official checks Senior Six candidates at Kitante Hill School in Kampala before they could enter the examination room for morning papers on November 12, 2024. Photo/Stephen Otage
What you need to know:
- While recognising the significant role of humanities in society, Mr Obua emphasised the need for more students to pursue STEM disciplines, stressing that the country’s technological advancement depends on it. He called for deliberate efforts to boost the number of students studying mathematics and sciences to create a larger pool for tertiary institutions to select from for various science programmes.
The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) chairperson, Celestine Obua, has urged the government to focus on increasing the number of students enrolling in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
Speaking during the release of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results at State House Lodge in Nakasero on Friday, Mr Obua acknowledged the upward trend in the number of candidates choosing STEM subjects. However, he pointed out that the numbers still lag behind those of students offering humanities.
While recognising the significant role of humanities in society, Mr Obua emphasised the need for more students to pursue STEM disciplines, stressing that the country’s technological advancement depends on it. He called for deliberate efforts to boost the number of students studying mathematics and sciences to create a larger pool for tertiary institutions to select from for various science programmes.
Mr Obua also reported that the number of candidates had seen a significant increase, with nearly 142,000 candidates in 2024, compared to 110,566 in 2023.
Additionally, he highlighted a reduction in the number of candidates who failed to report for examinations, a trend that has been improving for the past three years.
On performance, Mr Obua noted that while there was a slight drop in overall pass rates, the increase in candidature—by over 30,000—could account for this. He emphasized that such increases could impact the statistics but assured that the overall trend shows more students qualifying for placement in post-UACE institutions.
"The question we must now address is whether the system can absorb the growing numbers of students qualifying for further education," Mr Obua noted.
