OUT OF 130,866 CANDIDATES WHO SAT FOR 2026 GCE EXAMINATIONS, 112,640 CANDIDATES PASSED.

OUT OF 130,866 CANDIDATES WHO SAT FOR 2026 GCE EXAMINATIONS, 112,640 CANDIDATES PASSED. By Ennie Kishiki Mutepuka. The Ministry of Education, says one hundred and twelve thousand six hundred and forty out of one hundred and thirty thousand, eight hundred and sixty-six candidates sat for the 2026 General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination, have passed. […]

OUT OF 130,866 CANDIDATES WHO SAT FOR 2026 GCE EXAMINATIONS, 112,640 CANDIDATES PASSED.

By Ennie Kishiki Mutepuka.

The Ministry of Education, says one hundred and twelve thousand six hundred and forty out of one hundred and thirty thousand, eight hundred and sixty-six candidates sat for the 2026 General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination, have passed.

Speaking during a media briefing this morning, Acting Minister of Education, Dr. Gilbert Siame, said number represents 92.85 percent of those who entered the examination, an improvement from the 91.43 percent recorded in 2025.

Dr. Siame, said of the one hundred and thirty thousand eight hundred and sixty-six candidates who sat for the examination, thirty-nine thousand and forty-five were male representing 29.84% while ninety-one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one were female representing 70.16%.

He added that a total of ten thousand and seventy-two candidates were absent from the examination, of whom four thousand, four hundred and forty-three were male representing 44.11% and five thousand six hundred and twenty-nine were female representing 55.89%.

Dr. Siame, said the national absenteeism rate was 7.15 percent representing a 1.42 percentage points decrease from 8.57 percent in 2025.

He further added that a total of fourteen thousand two hundred and sixty-four candidates sat for five or more subjects and out of these, one thousand, five hundred and forty–eight candidates representing 10.85 percent obtained GCE certificates, and twelve thousand one hundred and three representing 84.85% obtained statements, while six hundred and thirteen representing 4.30% failed.

Dr. Siame, said more than three quarters of the candidates who entered and sat the examination were female further calling on the males to take advantage of this examination, and improve their grades and increase their chances to further their education and employment among other advantages.

He added that in terms of performance according to subjects, similar to 2025, French recorded the highest percentage mean score at 87.61 percent, while mathematics recorded the lowest percentage mean score at 21.19 percent.

Dr. Siame, said comparing the average percent mean scores according to subject grouping, practical subjects recorded the highest mean of 63.54 percent, followed by literature and languages at 51.94 percent, then natural sciences at 38.74 percent, social sciences at 32.98 percent, and business subjects at 32.50 percent.

He said Mathematics in the natural sciences group had the lowest percentage mean score of 21.19 percent.

Government has since commended the examination management system, noting that no cases of examination question-paper leakage were reported during the 2026 GCE examinations