83, 993 pupils fail exams

Mr Matthew Bukenya, the Uneb executive secretary, explains that a candidate is deemed to have passed if they obtain divisional grades of 1, 2, 3 and 4. Such candidates will qualify to register for any post-primary examination conducted by the national examining body.

A total of 83,993 Primary Seven leavers will have to repeat after failing PLE.

According to Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) statistics, 20,989 candidates scored in Division X while 63,004 were in Division U.
A candidate who falls in category X has missed exams, while U is for ungraded candidates.

Mr Matthew Bukenya, the Uneb executive secretary, explains that a candidate is deemed to have passed if they obtain divisional grades of 1, 2, 3 and 4. Such candidates will qualify to register for any post-primary examination conducted by the national examining body.
This means, 83,993 candidates can not find placement in any institution because they don’t have a certificate. This year, 480,067 candidates passed PLE compared to 444, 815 the previous year.

Out of the 565, 663 candidates who registered for PLE, 543, 071 pupils sat the exams.

Mayuge District tops the failure chart with 639 candidates appearring in division X followed by Kayunga (619), Iganga (553), Kampala (489), Kamuli (483), Kabale (437), Buikwe (432), Luweero (415) and Arua (370).

According to Ministry of Education statistics, 1, 763, 284 pupils registered in Primary One in 2006 across the country. This means 68 per cent of the pupils, who enrolled either dropped out of school, married early, died or repeated some classes.

Education Minister Jessica Alupo yesterday expressed concern that government was spending money on pupils only for them to leave school before completing the cycle.

“There will be no meaningful development when one section of our young population are left behind.”

pahimbisibwe@ug.nationmedia.com