What to consider when choosing A-Level school

Education experts are concerned that activities outside classroom are fast disappearing in school setups, with majority only emphasising academic grades.
This, Mr Fagil Mande, an education consultant, says affects the child’s productivity when they grow up because they have difficulties in relating to workplaces and families.

He says beyond the good grades schools post, a parent should also find out what other programmes a school offers outside teaching.
Mr Mande cites science fairs, sports inter-competitions, music, dance and drama and debate.
“That is what is disappearing these days. Parents are looking at the grades when results are out. But grades alone don’t make a good learner,” Mr Mande told Sunday Monitor yesterday.
He further asked parents to interest themselves in the school’s history, who owns the school, how often parents meet, whether the school is licensed and has stable teachers. Other areas to look at are the facilities, distance and whether the fees is affordable.

Mr Job Matua, a teacher at Umar BA Islamic High School, Mukono, says in most cases, when a school’s results are poor, it is a reflection that teaching and learning didn’t take place. He says he prioritises academics, discipline and moral upbringing of a child when looking for a school.
“As a parent, go to the school, and check out for the facilities, engage the administration and teachers. Look at the activities designed in the school. The results is an outcome of what is happening. It is like a symptom of a sickness developing in somebody. If the results are bad, there is a problem at input and processing levels,” Mr Matua says.

While releasing the Uganda Certificate of Education results on Friday, Mr Dan Odongo, the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) executive secretary, reported that learners who sat for the 2019 UCE exams had a challenge of language deficiency, which affected performance in other subjects.
But Mr Mande believes that language development can be improved if schools and parents support activities that encourage individual student participation to grow their talent.

He discourages parents from looking at grades alone when looking for schools for their children.
The Ministry of Education permanent Secretary, Mr Alex Kakooza, had earlier told this newspaper that under the revised lower secondary curriculum to be rolled out tomorrow when schools open, they have made it compulsory for all Senior One and Two students to study Physical Education.
It now remains to be seen how schools, especially private ones, will implement this policy since majority are in storied houses, slum corridors without playgrounds.
The State Minister for Higher Education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, warned that they will not be licensing schools without laboratories and playgrounds.

[email protected]