Education Minister Jessica Alupo Monday released the 2012 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) results, showing a slight improvement in performance of candidates compared to 2011.

The pass rate for 2012 was 88.4% compared to 86.4% in 2011. A total of 1,603 candidates had their results withheld over suspected examination malpractice. Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has launched investigations into teh matter.

Boys performed better than girls over all with English best performed subject. Second was Social Studies followed by Science and the least performed subject was Mathematics.

"The report from Chief Examiners indicated that generally, the quality of candidates' work has improved, compared to that of the previous years," UNEB executive secretary Mathew Bukenya said.

The number of candidates who passed the Primary leaving Examinations also increased from 444,815 to 480,067. In 2010, there were 431,706 candidates who passed the examinations.

But, the increase in the number of students passing the examinations is partly rooted in the increasing number of candidates every other year. In 2010, 490,374 candidates sat for the final examination. The number went up to 514,916 and later to 543,071 last year.

Bukenya revealed that a total of 565,663 registered for examinations, but 20,989 (3.7%) did not turn up when it came to sitting for the examinations.

Bukenya also revealed that of all the pupils who sat for final examinations, a total of 463,332 candidates were under the Government's free primary education programme.