Six students from Fort Portal Secondary School have scored the maximum 20 points in the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations, underscoring the institution’s strong academic performance.
Speaking after the release of the results, the school’s head teacher, Reagan Kateregga, attributed the achievement to teamwork among staff, support from the school’s directors, and the dedication of students.
“We are grateful to the Almighty God for the good performance. Six of our students have posted the maximum 20 points, while three others scored 19 points,” Kateregga said.
According to the head teacher, three of the top performers attained the score in the BCM (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics) combination, while two achieved the same in PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) and PEM (Physics, Economics, Mathematics).
Kateregga noted that the results reflect the school’s strong academic culture and the commitment of its teaching staff.
“I cannot leave out the hardworking staff who remain committed to their work. Their dedication is the reason behind our success and the strong academic culture at the school,” he said.
Students Celebrate Top Results
One of the top performers, Makune Dennis, who studied the BCM combination, expressed gratitude to his family and teachers after attaining the maximum score.
“I thank my parents, my brothers and sisters, and everyone who supported me. I especially thank my mother and father for their prayers. Above all, I thank God for everything. I believe God has great plans for me,” he said.
Fatima Yusuf Gram, who also scored 20 points while pursuing an arts combination that included Swahili and Islamic Studies, said she hopes to study Interior Design at university.
“I thank God because He is the reason I achieved these results. I also thank the school administration and our head teacher for supporting us throughout our studies. I am passionate about interior design and hope to pursue it at university,” she said.
Another top student, Mujuni Ivan, who studied PCM, said he plans to pursue a career in engineering.
“I thank the head teacher, the staff, my parents, and the Almighty God for enabling me to achieve this. My dream is to become an engineer, and I hope to pursue it at university,” he said.
UNEB Reports Improved Performance
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), Dan Odong, said overall performance in the 2025 UACE examinations improved compared to 2024.
Odong said 98.9 per cent of candidates qualified for the UACE certificate, noting that under current regulations, a candidate must obtain at least a Subsidiary pass in a Principal subject to qualify for certification.
He added that university admissions traditionally require a minimum of two Principal passes.
“If this criterion is maintained, 113,291 candidates (68.6 per cent) will qualify for university admission, compared to 92,273 candidates (65.5 per cent) in 2024,” Odong said.
He noted that the increase reflects the larger number of candidates who sat the examinations in 2025, meaning an additional 21,018 university places may be needed to accommodate the qualified students.
For other tertiary institutions such as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions offering diploma programmes, candidates with one Principal pass and two Subsidiary passes may also qualify. Under this criterion, 145,129 candidates (87.9 per cent) would be eligible for admission.
Odong also revealed that entries for most science subjects and Mathematics have been steadily increasing over the years, indicating growing interest among students in science-related fields.
