Lira, Uganda | The 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) results have underscored widening performance gaps among primary schools in Lira City, with St. Gracious Boarding Primary School emerging as the standout institution after posting a 100 percent pass rate and one of the lowest average aggregates in the city.
UNEB data indicates that the school’s candidates attained an average aggregate of 8.6, placing it ahead of several long-established institutions and confirming its dominance in the city’s highly competitive education landscape.
Nearly all candidates achieved Division One, with only one learner placed in Division Two.
The results place St. Gracious Boarding ahead of St. Kizito Primary Seven School (8.9) and well above schools such as Saving Grace Primary School (10.2), Lira Central Primary School (10.3) and Elwa Sunrise Primary School (10.3). Other schools in the top tier recorded double-digit average aggregates, reflecting comparatively weaker overall performance.
Education stakeholders say the 2025 outcomes highlight the growing divide between high-performing boarding schools and day schools, many of which continue to struggle with large class sizes, limited instructional time, and inconsistent learner follow-up.
According to education officials in Lira City, schools that maintained tight academic monitoring, early syllabus coverage, and regular internal assessments were more likely to post stronger results.
Boarding schools, in particular, benefited from controlled study environments and extended contact hours between learners and teachers.
The competitive rankings are expected to influence enrolment patterns ahead of the 2026 academic year, as parents increasingly seek placement in schools with proven examination outcomes.
Education authorities have hailed the school’s performance as a model for other schools in the city, praising its ability to raise the standard of primary education in Lira City.
