PLE: Teachers’ absenteeism to blame for poor performance, says government

Government has attributed poor performance in primary schools to teachers’ absenteeism especially in rural areas.

While giving her speech during the release of 2017 primary leaving examinations at the office of the president on Friday, the state minister for primary education Rosemary Sseninde said the continued missing of classes by teachers account for the disparities in performance between rural and urban schools.
Ms Sseninde called for an immediate tough measure against such teachers if the general performance was to improve.

She noted that the poor attitude of parents and learners was also responsible for the highest failure rates in rural areas explaining that such children are not given lunch at school as the case is with their counterparts in urban centres.
In her speech, the education minister Janet Museveni condemned the examination malpractice and indicated there is already a draft repeal of the UNEB Act to hold the culprits, who include class teachers culpable.
She said selection for Senior One students will take place between January 24 and 25 at UMA show ground.