FIGURES: 2025 UACE results show how boys & girls differ in A-Level subject choices

Clear differences between boys and girls emerged in subject choices and performance in the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results released on March 13, 2026.

Statistics shared by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) show that girls continued to dominate humanities subjects, while boys remained more visible in science and mathematics subjects.

In General Paper, the most widely taken subject, 72,370 girls sat the examination compared to 92,784 boys. However, the performance gap was small. About 3.2 percent of girls scored an A compared to 3.7 percent of boys.

Humanities subjects showed stronger participation from girls. In History, 16,887 girls registered compared to 14,544 boys. Girls also performed better, with 7.1 percent scoring an A compared to 5.9 percent of boys. A similar trend appeared in Christian Religious Education. A total of 19,274 girls took the subject against 12,020 boys, with 5 percent of girls scoring an A compared to 3 percent of boys.

Literature in English had one of the clearest gaps. Only 2,017 boys registered compared to 6,989 girls. Girls also recorded stronger performance, with 10.8 percent scoring an A compared to 8.7 percent of boys. Overall, 90.3 percent of girls obtained between A and E compared to 79.3 percent of boys.

Science subjects showed the opposite pattern. Mathematics attracted far more boys, with 45,130 male candidates compared to 25,002 girls. Boys also recorded more top grades. About 14.1 percent of boys scored an A compared to 10.7 percent of girls.

Physics had an even wider gap. A total of 16,613 boys sat the subject compared to only 4,689 girls. About 4.1 percent of boys obtained an A compared to 1.5 percent of girls.

Chemistry and Biology also reflected the same trend. In Chemistry, 22,646 boys registered compared to 14,488 girls. About 6.4 percent of boys scored an A compared to 3.7 percent of girls. In Biology, 20,962 boys registered compared to 14,698 girls, with 7.4 percent of boys scoring an A compared to 3.8 percent of girls.

Some subjects showed a more balanced pattern. In Economics, 18,104 boys registered compared to 12,141 girls, although girls performed slightly better. About 4.4 percent of girls scored an A compared to 3.3 percent of boys.

Entrepreneurship Education also attracted large numbers from both groups. A total of 35,238 girls took the subject compared to 36,298 boys.

Subsidiary subjects recorded some of the biggest numbers. Subsidiary ICT attracted 57,745 girls and 70,974 boys. In Subsidiary Mathematics, 14,615 girls registered compared to 21,776 boys.

The results released by UNEB show that a total of more than 166,000 candidates sat the 2025 UACE examinations across the country. The examinations mark the final stage of the national assessment cycle after the earlier release of the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) and Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results.

Education officials have repeatedly raised concern about the low participation of girls in science subjects, particularly Physics and advanced Mathematics. The latest figures again highlight the continuing gap between boys and girls in science enrolment, even as girls maintain stronger presence in humanities and arts subjects.