Little money fuelling poor PLE results - teachers’ body
President Museveni (left) with Education minister Janet after the launch of the “Education Still Matters” campaign during the commemoration of the Teachers Day at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in October. Looking on are Unatu Secretary General Filbert Baguma (2nd right) and Unatu chairperson Zadock Tumuhimbise. PHOTO / ABUBAKER LUBOWA
The Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) national chairman, Mr Zadock Tumuhimbise, said government-aided schools performed poorly in the 2022 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) due to the inadequate capitation grant allocation.
The Uganda National Examinations Board released the PLE results on January 27. 714,702 candidates passed the exams and qualified to join secondary school. However, 97,000 failed.
“Shs17,000, which the government pays for every pupil in its primary schools per year, is too little to provide the necessities that can guarantee them to pass the Primary Leaving Examinations. This situation is not comparable to the arrangement in private schools where parents pay an average of Shs600,000 per term per child,” Mr Tumuhimbise said.
He added: “For better academic performance, there is a need for the government to at least increase the capitation grant for each child from Shs17,000 to Shs90,000 to allow the school administration provide up-to-date reading materials for the learners and raise salaries and build staff houses to motivate teachers. The government should also consider providing meals to the learners while at school because hungry learners cannot concentrate during lessons.”
Mr Tumuhimbise was speaking at a ceremony organised by the state minister for Trade Industry and Cooperatives, Mr David Bahati, to award 100 pupils who scored grade one in Ndorwa West constituency in Kabale District at the weekend.
The ceremony was held at Kamuganguzi Jonan Luwum Memorial Secondary School playground in Katuna Town Council, where Mr Bahati gave each pupil a mattress and a blanket.
Mr Bahati told Mr Tumuhimbise that cabinet has asked the Ministry of Education to look into the issue of funding schools.
“While the government has tried its best to improve the salaries of teachers, the issue of capitation grants shall also be handled. Our position is to provide free education for all learners in all the government-aided primary and secondary schools although some school administrators still levy some fees and charges,” Mr Bahati said.
He said stakeholders would also be consulted with the objective of providing quality education standards.
The Kabale District Education Officer, Mr Moses Tumwijukye Bwengye, said his district performed well in the 2022 PLE results compared to 2020 amidst the effects of Covid-19, the bad terrain and lack of staff houses.
Looking back
In September 2022, the State Minister for Finance-in-charge of General Duties, Mr Henry Musasizi, said the capital allocation has increased from Shs8,000 in FY 2018/2019 to Shs17,000 in the FY 2021/2022.
He said it will be to Shs24,150 by the end of FY 2023/2024 and secondary schools’ per capita grant has increased from Shs45,000 to Shs175,000 every year.
