130,000 pupils stuck after missing Senior One admission
Selection. Ms Rachel Kironde (centre), the deputy head teacher of Mount St Mary’s Namagunga and other teachers verify documents yesterday during the final day of Senior One placement exercise at UMA Grounds, Lugogo. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- Mr Patrick Kaboyo, a parent, asked communities to demand accountability from schools in their localities.
A t least 130,948 pupils who registered with Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) for Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) last year have missed admission to Senior One. The candidates were among the 695,804 who registered with Uneb.
Uneb statistics released last week indicate that only 617,150 candidates passed and should be able to continue with secondary and technical school education.
Mr Benson Kule, the Education ministry Senior One selection committee chairperson, said only 564,856 of the pupils who passed have been placed in both private and government-aided institutions, leaving 52,294 students stranded after the ministry concluded the two-day Senior One selection yesterday.
They join another 66,152 candidates who sat PLE, but were ungraded after they failed to score the minimum marks required.
“We appeal to you, if a student comes to you after this selection and has the qualification, accommodate them,” Mr Kule asked the head teachers who participated in the selection.
Mr David Ssengendo, the Buganda Road Primary School head teacher, said government should account for learners who have been in the system for seven years but will leave without a certificate.
He said the government should create a system that appreciates all learners’ differences.
“Schools have all categories of children. Those who are academically excellent and those who are not. We should have a system that can identify potential in different children and support them,” Mr Ssengendo said.
Demand accountability
Mr Patrick Kaboyo, a parent, asked communities to demand accountability from schools in their localities.
“A good and holistic education should cater for all children. There should be programmes that benefit all children. Each school should give accountability where our children have gone and what they have achieved,” Mr Kaboyo said.
Dr Tonny Mukasa Lusambu, the commissioner for Primary Education, advised the ungraded children to repeat Primary Seven and ensure they pass or join non-formal education institutions for skills development.
He said they are going to compel primary schools to include co-curricular activities and give certificates to recognise achievers in such fields.
Dr Lusambu asked the 12,502 children who missed the examinations because of pregnancy or illness to return to school.
