6 , Friday, March 1, 2019 A’LEVELS Govt plans to improve science grades

By Vision Reporter was a good development. “Performance has improved and The Government has said it is over 2,000 more candidates qualify concerned about the continuous poor for admissions to university and other performance in science subjects in tertiary institutions,” the minister national examinations and has crafted added. strategies to turn the tide. “Girls, fewer as they were at this The results of the 2018 level, performed better than their Advanced Certificate of Education counterparts at all levels and better (UACE) examinations released in most of the individual subjects,” yesterday in show a Muyingo said. continued dismal performance in This, he noted, would enable girls to sciences. transit to tertiary education. Muyingo The higher education state minister, said he was glad that the cases Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, said of the of examination malpractice were 38,000 new teachers to be recruited low at UACE. He said the ministry for secondary schools in the current would continue to support UNEB to financial year, 19,000 will be science control the vice. The examinations tutors. body withheld exam results of 91 “Whereas it is true that all subjects candidates from 21 centres over offered in our schools are important suspicion of exam malpractice. for our development, we must The common forms of exam accept that sciences are critical in the malpractice continue to be external essential area of technology — the assistance, substitution of scripts, engine for industrial development. It smuggling of unauthorised is unacceptable that only about 10% material into examination halls of UACE candidates have registered and impersonation. UNEB said for science subjects, with the situation the affected candidates would be being worse for the girls,” the minister accorded a fair hearing before a final said. decision is reached. Muyingo was releasing the UACE results in the auditorium at the Office 0X\LQJR FHQWUH pDQNHGE\2NZDNRO OHIW DQG2GRQJRGXULQJWKHUHOHDVHRIWKH8$&(UHVXOWVLQ Illegal charges of the Prime Minister in Kampala. Kampala yesterday. Overall, girls performed better than boys. Photo by Kennedy Oryema UNEB warned parents and students “Only a few students are doing against dealing with fraudsters in sciences at A’level. While the number for science students at the highest and vocational) programmes. schools who reportedly demand doing sciences at O’level is high level of secondary education was The minister underscored the need illegal charges for national exams because they are compulsory, the BETWEEN THE LINES a persistent trend. This, she said, for an empirical study to confirm registration. Its board chair said number drops at A’level. This is Q The ministry intends to should be stopped urgently to ensure if a large number of students were the institution has not raised exam unacceptable,” he added. retool science teachers in the country gets a sufficient number enroling for vocational and technical registration fees from the amounts government-aided schools of learners to study science-based programmes after attaining the charged in 2018; sh34,000 for PLE, In-service training through continuous in-service professions at university and other Uganda Certificate of Education sh164,000 for UCE and sh186,000 The ministry, Muyingo said, also training. This, according to the higher institutions of learning. (UCE). for UACE. intends to retool science teachers in ministry, will get the instructors “Only just above 10% of the total Okwakol said although no study “Regrettably, we have learnt that government-aided schools through equipped with the relevant skills candidates registered for science had been done so far, there was a some centres have already asked continuous in-service training. This, and teaching methods. subjects. For females, the figure is likelihood that the numbers drop parents for as much as sh120,000 for according to the ministry, will get the even less than 10%,” Okwakol added. at UACE after a substantial figure PLE and over sh250,000 for UCE and instructors equipped with the relevant are absorbed by the post-UCE UACE,” Okwakol said. skills and teaching methods. exhibited by candidates at this level,” Low numbers at UACE institutions. She also warned headteachers The minister said career guidance the minister added. For the third time in a row, UNEB “This is evidenced by the increased against issuing fake results to parents will also be intensified in schools to The ministry, he explained, would results indicate a reduction in the enrolment in primary teachers’ and students. motivate more students to pursue continue to promote integration of number of students writing UACE colleges as well as technical and Daniel Odongo, the UNEB executive sciences. The Government, Muyingo practical and theoretical training. exams despite annual increases at vocational institutions,” she added. secretary, said learners were not said, will also procure more science Muyingo said he was disturbed by the O’level. Muyingo, however, said the general required to pay any fees to receive textbooks for its schools. Uganda National Examinations Board While the Government has invested performance, indicating that 98.6% the result slips from schools because “The methods of teaching should (UNEB) revelation that some students heavily and encouraged primary of the 2018 candidates qualified for fees for printing the documents are improve. The over-reliance on poorly presented diagrams in the biology level and O’level graduates to join the award of the UACE certificate, is covered in exams registration money. written pamphlets which I understand subject in a manner suggesting they technical and vocational institutions, impressive. A total of 98,524 wrote is rampant, does not encourage had “crammed” them. it is not clear if the increasing number the exams. He said reduction in the Compiled by Pascal Kwesiga, the development of analytical skills The UNEB board chairperson, Prof. of students, who are not progressing number of students dropping out Cecilia Okoth, Conan Businge and critical thinking which must be Mary Okwakol, said the low entries to A’level are enroling for (technical after registration for national exams and Simon Masaba

By Conan Businge ranking because some schools are increasingly establishing Jinja Progressive’s Annex, Jinja Progressive, Budo, Kitende top A’level annex campuses as separate King’s College Budo and St exam centres. Mary’s Kitende emerged the number of students in class. The ranking shows that a overall top schools in the 2018 The higher the APS the better number of schools that were Uganda Advanced Certificate the ranking. among the top 15 in the 2017 of Education (UACE) Unlike the ranking for UACE have fallen off the top examinations, according to O’level or primary schooling ladder. an analysis of results released system, the A’level candidates These include two giants yesterday. are scored on the basis of Mt St Mary’s Namagunga, These were followed points and not aggregate. Nabisunsa Girls, Immaculate by Madinah Islamic SS, The students with the highest Heart and St Henry’s College College, Ntare points are considered the Kitovu. Others are Cornerstone School, St Mary’s College best performers in A’level Leadership and Hope Boarding Kisubi, examinations. A candidate can Leadership Academy. Namugongo, Greenlight score a maximum of 20 points. Islamic and Gayaza High Other schools, in their order Best students in subjects School. of ranking include Maryhill The results also show that The ranking of the schools’ High, Seeta High (Mukono), about 5,000 students scored 16 performance was based on Seeta High () and points and above. Out of these, official data obtained from Nsambya Hillside (Western %XORED+LJK VEHVWVWXGHQWV /5 6KDURQ1DQNLQJD  $EGX%XVXXOZD  3DWULFLD 2,162 are science students and Uganda National Examinations Campus). Nsambya Hillside– 1DNLWWR  DQG)UDQFLV.DVLU\H  FHOHEUDWHWKHLUYLFWRU\Photo by G. Kimono 2,953 are students who did Board. Western Campus is a newly humanities (arts). The ranking was based on established school and has and Najjembe Homeland. Examinations Board said there exams reduced, there were the Average Point Score (APS). quickly broken into ranks There are about 1,800 A’level were 2,094 centres, compared more schools which came on See the ranking of all This is obtained by summing within just a couple of years. schools which have been to 1,918 in 2017. board. schools on P16, 17, 42 to up all the points scored by The surprises among the top ranked this year. Although the number of There are more exam centres 45 and top science, arts each student, divided by the performers include Kisozi High The Uganda National candidates who sat A’level than the schools featured in the schools on P46-52