While releasing the mock exams, the Bishop of Mukono Diocese, Enos Kitto Kagodo, challenged the headteachers to use the remaining period before the Primary Leaving Examinations to improve the performance of the candidates.
A total of 2,944 candidates have scored Division U in the 2026 Mukono Diocese mock examinations, with only 334 candidates attaining Division One.
The results were released on Tuesday at Mukono Cathedral during a ceremony attended by education officials, headteachers and teachers from schools under the diocese.
Livingstone Teko, the vice president of the Mukono Diocesan Church of Uganda Heads of Education Institutions Association (COUHEIA) who serves as the chairperson of the diocesan examinations committee, said 7,999 candidates sat the examinations out of the 8,340 who had been expected.
According to the results, 1,337 candidates scored Division Two, 882 obtained Division Three, while 2,517 were placed in Division Four.
Lutikko Archdeaconry emerged with the highest pass rate at 95%, followed by Seeta at 84%, Nassuuti at 82.5%, Mpumu at 70%, Bukoba at 68.6% and Kasawo at 67%.
Teko said Lutikko recorded 15 Division One, 41 Division Two, 10 Division Three and 12 Division Four grades.
“Lutikko registered 15 first grades, 41 second grades, 10 third grades and 12 fourth grades, registering a pass rate of 95%. Seeta had 47 first grades, 266 second grades, 162 third grades and 274 fourth grades, making an 84% pass rate,” he said.
At the lower end of the performance table, Bbaale Archdeaconry recorded 427 Division U grades among 755 candidates, while Kangulumira had 325 Division U grades out of 624 candidates. Ngogwe recorded 444 Division U grades among its 872 candidates.
The archdeaconries ranked according to their performance were Lutikko, Seeta, Nassuuti, Mpumu, Bukoba, Kasawo, Lugazi, Ndeeba, Nakibizzi, Ngogwe, Kangulumira and Bbaale.
At school level, Mukono Boarding Primary School posted the highest number of Division One grades, with 59 of its 112 candidates attaining the grade.
Bishop West Primary School followed with 12 Division One grades out of 25 candidates, while Kasawo Mubanda Primary School recorded 69 Division One grades out of 170 candidates. Kawuku Boarding Primary School had 50 Division One grades among 130 candidates.
However, the results raised concern among diocesan education officials, particularly over the large number of candidates who failed to attain Division Four.
While releasing the mock exams, the Bishop of Mukono Diocese, Enos Kitto Kagodo, challenged the headteachers to use the remaining period before the Primary Leaving Examinations to improve the performance of the candidates.
He was particularly concerned about the poor performance in Religious Education, saying church-founded schools should be doing better in the subject because they have chaplains as well as Religious Education teachers.
“I challenge the teachers to make sure that they change these records for the remaining part of the year before the final Primary Leaving Examinations, but also parents are to blame. They relaxed when it comes to taking their children to churches on Sunday,” Kagodo said.
Henry Kityo, the head of Social Studies, said the subject was the worst performed, with candidates struggling particularly with the Religious Education section, which carries 25 marks.
“We realised that most of the candidates almost didn’t bother to answer the RE questions, yet those who answered did not get the questions well,” Kityo said.
Kagodo also linked poor academic performance to inadequate feeding at schools, calling on the government to encourage parents to pay lunch fees for their children.
“One of the reasons why our schools are exhibiting poor performance is failure to feed the learners while at school,” he said.
Susan Wamala Sserunkuuma, president of the Mukono Diocesan Church of Uganda Heads of Education Institutions Association (COUHEIA), attributed some of the challenges to a shortage of teachers.
“Most of our schools have fewer teachers to handle all the seven classes. Previously, we used to hire private teachers who would be paid through arrangements by the Parents and Teachers Associations, but the current trends have made such programmes so hard,” Wamala said.
Teko also disclosed that 11 schools did not register 333 candidates for the diocesan mock examinations.
The schools include Bulijjo Primary School, Butere Primary School, Nangabo Primary School, Kyosimba Onaanya Primary School, Buwundo Primary School, Kamusabi Primary School, Namatogonya Primary School, Kyerima Primary School, Kiziika Primary School, Kamuli Primary School and Mulajje Primary School.
He urged the affected headteachers to ensure that all eligible candidates are registered for next year’s diocesan mock examinations, which he said are mandatory.
“We are aiming at improving the performance of our candidates in the Church founded schools,” Teko said.
Lydia Nakachwa, headteacher of Bishop West Primary School, urged teachers not to be discouraged by the results, saying the mocks should instead help them identify areas where candidates need more attention before the final PLE.
“This is a good determinant to show us the level at which our candidates are. Let’s go and do revision with them and put in much effort in the sections where they are weaker,” she said.
Rev. Sezi Musoke, the Mukono Diocesan Education Secretary, said the diocese had introduced several strategies to improve performance in church-founded schools, including efforts to ensure that learners are adequately fed while at school.
