Poor performance in Sciences: Govt must rethink strategy

According to the just released Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results, one in two A-Level students who sat for Science subjects failed. It also shows that half of the 75,451 Science students failed to obtain a principal pass and amid this situation, State minister for Higher Education John Chrysestom Muyingo blamed the poor performance in Sciences on poor teaching methods.
The minister said that there is a disconnection between the teaching of Sciences since theory is taught first to cover the syllabus, and practical taught later.
An official from the Education ministry added that they have realised that there is poor utilisation by Science teachers of text books the ministry has been sending to schools.
On the other hand, Science teachers have singled out fake and expired chemicals used in practical exams as one of the key causes of high failure rates in Science subjects across the country. The teachers say some schools can barely carry out experiments and are unable to tell the genuine chemicals/equipment due to lack of exposure.
So the teachers are in turn playing the defensive saying the government intervention is insufficient. The blame on the teachers by the ministry also contrasts with the government’s spirited investment and rhetoric to promote Sciences as a cornerstone of skilling Ugandans.
In the midst of all this criticisms, there seems to be no lasting solution put in place to combat the problem. What stands between the blame games of the two parties are the students.
It is high time government stopped pointing figures and got back to the drawing board to implement afresh the policy they put in place.
Suggestions such as building a pool of well-equipped laboratories in towns and districts where schools within the same area can come together and do practical lessons or access the facilities could help schools that are unable to run practical subjects.
This can also solve the problem of the expenses incurred in having to provide every school with laboratory equipment.
At the end of the day, it is government’s responsibility to ensure the proper teaching of Science subjects is done by retooling the teachers. The blame game only helps to worsen the already bad situation. Government should not bury its head in the sand.

The issue: Poor performance in Sciences.

Our view: It’s government’s responsibility to ensure the proper teaching of Science subjects is done by retooling the teachers. The blame game only helps to worsen the already bad situation. Government should not bury its head in the sand.