Education Minister Janet Museveni Issues Firm but Measured Warning to Schools, Media and Parents Over Public Exposure of Children’s Examination Results

Kampala, Uganda — Education and Sports Minister Janet Kataha Museveni has issued a calm yet firm warning to schools, media organisations and parents against publicly exposing children’s examination results, cautioning that such actions violate learners’ rights and risk causing long-term emotional harm.

The Minister delivered the message on Thursday during the official release of the 2025 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results at State Lodge Nakasero. 

While congratulating candidates, parents and teachers for completing another examination cycle, Mrs. Museveni reminded stakeholders that learners’ academic records are protected under Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act.

She stressed that publishing pupils’ names, scores, photographs or school-based rankings without consent amounts to an infringement on children’s dignity and privacy. 

Although her tone remained composed, the Minister made it clear that excitement surrounding results should not override the legal and moral obligation to protect learners.

“As a nation, we must remember that examination results are meant to guide learning and improvement, not to expose children to unnecessary pressure, ridicule or stigma,” she said.

With anticipation and anxiety high in households across the country following the release of results, Mrs. Museveni urged parents and guardians to avoid comparing children publicly or turning results into a spectacle. 

She warned that excessive public scrutiny can negatively affect learners’ self-esteem, particularly those who may not have performed as expected.

The 2025 PLE results are the first national examination outcomes released this year by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). The majority of candidates passed through the Universal Primary Education (UPE) system, which the Minister praised as a cornerstone of Uganda’s education progress.

Mrs. Museveni described UPE as a transformative programme that has enabled millions of children from diverse backgrounds to complete primary education free of charge. 

She reaffirmed government commitment to sustaining and strengthening the initiative to ensure equitable access to education.

While highlighting improvements in completion rates and a noticeable increase in the number of learners attaining Division One, the Minister expressed concern over emerging gender disparities. 

She noted that fewer boys are completing primary education compared to girls, a trend she described as worrying and deserving of urgent attention.

She called for comprehensive, evidence-based research to understand the factors contributing to boys’ declining completion rates and to inform targeted interventions that will keep all learners in school.

The Minister also commended progress in inclusive education, noting that learners with special educational needs continue to register strong performance when provided with appropriate learning environments and support. She emphasised that inclusivity remains a key pillar of government education policy.

In a notable highlight, Mrs. Museveni praised the Uganda Prisons Service for enabling inmates to sit for the PLE examinations. 

She described education as a powerful tool for rehabilitation, reintegration and personal transformation, saying access to learning should extend to all segments of society.

Looking ahead, the Minister announced that the Senior One selection exercise will be conducted on February 12 and 13, 2026. 

She further revealed that reporting for first term will take place on March 2, 2026, as thousands of learners transition to secondary education.

She underscored continued government investment in seed secondary schools and alternative education pathways, including community polytechnics under the newly enacted Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act of 2025.

However, the release of results also came with stern caution. Mrs. Museveni condemned persistent examination malpractices, including fraudulent candidate registration, impersonation and poor supervision. 

She described these practices as serious threats to the credibility of Uganda’s education system.

The Minister also raised concern over teacher absenteeism, urging parents, school management committees and communities to report cases where teachers abandon their duties.