There is a notable imbalance in the gender representation of candidates sitting for the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) in Uganda this year, with a greater number of girls participating.

According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb), out of the total 749,371 candidates registered for this two-day national examination exercise, 391,574 are girls, while 357,797 are boys. This shift in gender representation is an important demographic characteristic of this year’s PLE.

The examinations are being conducted under the overarching theme of “Integrity and security in the management of examinations is a joint responsibility.” This theme underscores the significance of maintaining the integrity and security of the examination process, involving all stakeholders.

Candidates began with the mathematics paper this morning, followed by Social Studies and Religious Education in the afternoon. Tomorrow, they will tackle the Integrated Science paper in the morning and conclude with the English paper in the afternoon.

Weather-related challenges, including flooding in certain areas, have created logistical issues in the distribution of examination materials and posed potential disruptions to some examination centers, such as Rwangara Primary School in Ntoroko District.