Top science schools in 2025 UACE results revealed

The 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education results have once again placed Uganda’s long-established secondary schools at the centre of science excellence.

The rankings show that schools in central and western Uganda performed strongly, with several posting high average points and fielding large numbers of candidates, a sign of both quality and consistency in science teaching.

St. Julian High School, Gayaza leads the science rankings with an average of 17.2 points from 47 candidates. Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga follows with 16.7 points from 101 candidates, while God’s Way High School, Nansana comes third with 16.5 points from 52 candidates.

Ntare School, Mbarara posted 16.4 points from 157 candidates, and St. Andrea Kahwa’s College, Hoima completed the top five with 16.2 points from 228 candidates. Cornerstone Leadership Academy also performed strongly with 15.9 points from 14 candidates, while Gayaza High School recorded 15.7 points from 99 candidates.

Mt. Mary’s College, Kisubi scored 15.6 points from 334 candidates, and Seeta High School, Mukono and Seeta High School both returned 15.5 points from 156 and 158 candidates respectively. King’s College Budo also posted 15.5 points from 300 candidates, while Buddo Secondary School matched that average from 30 candidates.

Other schools that stood out near the top include Amus College School Annex with 15.3 points from 60 candidates and Miggi Mixed Secondary School with 15.3 points from 24 candidates. Uganda Martyrs Secondary School Namugongo followed with 15.2 points from 369 candidates.

St. Mary’s College Kisubi recorded 14.8 points from 149 candidates, while Menta Secondary School and Mandela Secondary School Annex each posted 14.7 points, from 30 and 86 candidates respectively.

Nakasero Vision Secondary School followed with 14.6 points from 55 candidates, and Bukedea Comprehensive School recorded 14.4 points from 284 candidates. Kawempe Muslim Secondary School posted 14.4 points, while Shepherd High School Katovu, St. Francis Buddo and Umar B.A Islamic High School each registered 14.3 points. St. Mary’s College Lugazi followed with 14.2 points, while St. Henry’s College Kitovu and Kibuli Secondary School each posted 14.1 points.

The next group of strong performers includes Midland High School Buntaba, Namilyango College, Maryhill High School and Ndejje Secondary School, all with 14.0 points. St. Lawrence Schools and Colleges, St. Leonard’s Secondary School Wakiso and Alliance Secondary School Bwanda each posted 13.8 points.

St. Thomas Vocational School Kabula, St. Peter’s College Tororo and Vision Secondary School each recorded 13.7 points, while Wisdom High School Lira followed with 13.6 points.

St. Mary’s College Rushoroza and Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Secondary School each posted 13.5 points, while St. Gracious Secondary School Lira and Mengo Secondary School returned 13.4 points.

Restore Leadership High School and a branch of St. Henry’s College Kitovu each recorded 13.3 points, and St. Joseph’s Seminary Nyenga followed with 13.2 points.

Several schools posted 13.0 points and remained competitive in the national science picture. These include Trinity College Nabbingo, Our Lady of Good Counsel Gayaza, St. Kizito Secondary School Bugolobi, Greenhill Academy and St. Joseph’s Secondary School Kiwanga.

Ndejje Vocational Secondary School Masaka, St. John’s College School, Kansanga Secondary School and Gombe Secondary School each recorded 12.9 points, while Vision for Africa High School followed with 12.8 points.

St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School Bukerere, King’s College Budo in another entry, St. Mary’s Vocational School, Our Lady of Africa Secondary School Mukono and Kabale Trinity College each posted 12.7 points.

Other schools in the 12-point range include St. Joseph’s Vocational School Mbarara, St. Kalemba Secondary School Villa Maria, Good Shepherd Secondary School Kakamega, Jinja Progressive Secondary School and Queen of Martyrs Secondary School Kigoma, all with 12.6 points.

Via College School Wakiso, St. Paul’s Seminary Kabale, Mengo Secondary School in an alternative listing, Imperial High School Entebbe, Mt. Zion Christian High School and Royal Giant High School Mityana each posted 12.5 points.

Immaculate Heart Girls School, St. Maria Goretti Secondary School and Bishop Stuart University Demonstration School followed with 12.4 points.

Lubiri Secondary School, St. Jude Secondary School Kattende, St. Elizabeth Secondary School Nkoowe, Ntungamo Girls High School, Makerere College School, Mengo Secondary School science campus, Rines Secondary School and Central College Kampala each posted 12.3 points.

St. Lawrence Schools Maya, Lubiri High School and Sacred Heart Secondary School followed with 12.2 points.

The rankings also show a wide band of schools clustered between 12.1 and 11.0 points.

These include another entry for Seeta High School Mukono, Vienna High School Kabowa, Kichwamba High School, Blessed Secondary School Kijumba, Sacred Heart Kiteredde Secondary School and a Greenhill Academy branch, all at 12.1 points.

Amity Secondary School, Nyakabale High School, Migyera Standard Secondary School and Masaka Secondary School each posted 12.0 points. Nabumali High School, St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School Kashenyi, Tororo Secondary School and Bulooba Royal College all returned 11.9 points.

Bukalasa Seminary, St. Mary’s High School Zzana, Gombe Secondary School in an alternative listing, Wampewo Ntake Secondary School and another Namilyango College entry followed with 11.8 points.

At 11.7 points are St. Kagwa High School Bushenyi, Nabisunsa Girls’ School, Mbarara High School, Namilyango High School, and St. Francis High School Kampala.

Trinity College Kibuye, another Lubiri High School entry, Bweranyangi Girls’ School, St. Joseph’s Secondary School Sembabule, Nyakasura School, St. Leo’s College Kyegobe and another St. Peter’s College Tororo entry each posted 11.6 points.

Mityana Secondary School, another Ndejje Secondary School entry, St. Joseph’s Seminary Nyenga in another listing, Kibuli Secondary School, Ntare School, Gayaza High School, St. Mary’s College Kisubi, King’s College Budo and Seeta High School each returned 11.5 points.

Further entries at 11.4 points include St. Mary’s College Lugazi, Gombe Secondary School in a branch listing, St. Joseph’s Vocational School, Standard High School Zzana, Lubiri Secondary School branch, Bishop Stuart College, Greenhill Academy alternative listing, Mbarara High School branch, Kitende Secondary School, St. Henry’s College Kitovu alternative entry, St. Lawrence Schools alternative entry and Namilyango College branch listing.

At 11.3 points are Kibuli Secondary School branch, Gayaza High School branch, Seeta High School branch, Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga alternative listing, Buddo Secondary School alternative entry, King’s College Budo branch, St. Mary’s College Kisubi branch, Ntare School branch, Mengo Secondary School branch, Ndejje Secondary School branch, St. Joseph’s Secondary School Naggalama and Kyambogo College School.

The 11.2-point group includes Trinity College Nabbingo, St. Peter’s College Tororo branch, Gombe Secondary School in another entry, Seeta High School Green Campus, St. Mary’s College Lugazi branch, St. Mary’s College Rushoroza, Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Secondary School alternative listing, Gayaza High School in another entry, Lubiri Secondary School alternative branch, Namilyango College in another entry, Ntare School in another entry, King’s College Budo in another entry, Buddo Secondary School branch, St. Mary’s College Kisubi in another entry, Kibuli Secondary School in another entry, St. Henry’s College Kitovu branch, Seeta High School in another branch, St. Lawrence Schools branch, Ndejje Secondary School in another entry and Makerere College School alternative listing.

At 11.1 points are St. Peter’s Secondary School Nsambya, St. Mary’s Secondary School Kitende, St. Joseph’s Seminary Nyenga branch, Trinity College Nabbingo branch, Gombe Secondary School alternative branch, St. Henry’s College Kitovu another entry, Kibuli Secondary School alternative branch, Ntare School alternative branch, King’s College Budo alternative branch, Buddo Secondary School alternative branch, Seeta High School another listing, Namilyango College alternative branch, Gayaza High School alternative branch, St. Mary’s College Kisubi alternative branch, Lubiri Secondary School another listing, St. Lawrence Schools another listing, Greenhill Academy another listing, Bishop Stuart College alternative entry, Kyambogo College School alternative entry and Makerere College School another listing.

At 11.0 points are St. Joseph’s Secondary School Naggalama alternative entry, St. Peter’s College Tororo another entry, Trinity College Nabbingo alternative entry, St. Mary’s College Lugazi alternative entry, Seeta High School alternative entry, Kibuli Secondary School another entry, Ntare School alternative entry, King’s College Budo alternative entry, Buddo Secondary School alternative entry and Namilyango College alternative entry.

Meanwhile, Science performance in the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations continues to suffer due to inadequate practical exposure, according to the Uganda National Examinations Board.

Speaking during the release of the results on March 13, 2026, UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo said many candidates still struggle with practical science skills.

“In the Sciences, performance continues to be affected by inadequate practical exposure,” Odongo said.

He explained that candidates often misinterpret experimental procedures, which leads to incorrect data. Many also fail to analyse results properly or present them graphically.

Odongo noted that some learners draw graphs with non-uniform scales on the X and Y axes. Others fail to make correct deductions from their observations or write proper chemical equations.

He added that many candidates struggle to relate scientific concepts to real-life situations. In some cases, teachers skip key topics.

“Candidates also continue to struggle with relating Science concepts to real-life situations, and there is evidence that some teachers are skipping certain topics, for example in Physical Chemistry,” Odongo said.

He said the failure to apply knowledge to real-life situations remains a challenge across many subjects.