The 2024 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results reveal a growing number of students excelling in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
However, female candidates continue to lean more toward Humanities, according to Professor Celestino Obua, Chairperson of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
Speaking at the results release event at State House Entebbe on March 14, Prof. Obua emphasized the need for deliberate efforts to increase female participation in STEM fields.
Key Highlights from the 2024 UACE Results
- Rising STEM Enrollment:
The number of students offering STEM subjects is increasing, reflecting a positive trend in science education. - Female Dominance in Humanities:
Female candidates continue to outperform males in Humanities, maintaining their academic excellence in these subjects. - Lower Female STEM Participation:
Despite overall improvements, female enrollment in STEM remains lower compared to males.
Call for Increased Female Participation in STEM
Prof. Obua stressed the importance of encouraging more girls to pursue STEM disciplines.
“The upward trend in the number of candidates offering STEM subjects is encouraging. However, the majority of female candidates still opt for Humanities.
Without downplaying the importance of these subjects, we must recognize that technological progress depends heavily on a strong foundation in sciences,” he said.
To address this gap, UNEB is focusing on improving science education at lower levels.
“Deliberate efforts must be made to increase the number of students from which tertiary institutions can select for science-based programs,” Obua added.
Related: Girls Outshine Boys in 2024 UACE Results
Female Academic Excellence Continues
Female candidates have maintained their trend of outperforming males in terms of percentages at all levels, with a lower failure rate. However, their dominance remains strongest in Humanities.
“Female candidates have maintained the trend of performing better than their male counterparts in terms of percentages at all levels and have shown a lower failure rate,” Obua noted.
Challenges of Increased Candidature
The 2024 UACE saw over 30,000 more candidates compared to the previous year, impacting overall pass rates. Despite this, more students are qualifying for placement in post-UACE institutions.
“Such large increases in candidate numbers have a tendency to impact the statistics. However, what is evident is that we have more students qualifying for placement in post-UACE institutions.
The real question now is whether the system will be able to absorb them,” Obua said.
Encouraging Girls to Embrace STEM
Prof. Obua urged girls to take advantage of expanding opportunities in STEM fields and called for targeted efforts to support their participation in science-related disciplines.
